diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/ContainingScopeStage.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/ContainingScopeStage.ts
index 6b22f1c783..1cfa2b39be 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/ContainingScopeStage.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/ContainingScopeStage.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export class ContainingScopeStage implements ModifierStage {
   run(target: Target): Target[] {
     const { scopeType, ancestorIndex = 0 } = this.modifier;
 
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
       scopeType,
       target.editor.document.languageId,
     );
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/EveryScopeStage.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/EveryScopeStage.ts
index 8d8f00df85..32252be996 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/EveryScopeStage.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/EveryScopeStage.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export class EveryScopeStage implements ModifierStage {
     const { scopeType } = this.modifier;
     const { editor, isReversed } = target;
 
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
       scopeType,
       editor.document.languageId,
     );
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export class EveryScopeStage implements ModifierStage {
     scopeHandlerFactory: ScopeHandlerFactory,
     target: Target,
   ): Range[] {
-    const iterationScopeHandler = scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+    const iterationScopeHandler = scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
       scopeHandler.iterationScopeType,
       target.editor.document.languageId,
     );
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/PreferredScopeStage.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/PreferredScopeStage.ts
index d04fd6d86d..03e9fb7ca3 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/PreferredScopeStage.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/PreferredScopeStage.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export class PreferredScopeStage implements ModifierStage {
       }
     }
 
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.createWithAssert(
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
       this.modifier.scopeType,
       target.editor.document.languageId,
     );
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/RelativeScopeStage.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/RelativeScopeStage.ts
index c43c62a006..2ad109e072 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/RelativeScopeStage.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/RelativeScopeStage.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export class RelativeScopeStage implements ModifierStage {
   ) {}
 
   run(target: Target): Target[] {
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
       this.modifier.scopeType,
       target.editor.document.languageId,
     );
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/BoundedScopeHandler.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/BoundedScopeHandler.ts
index cfe5b23745..56d0f6bbf2 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/BoundedScopeHandler.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/BoundedScopeHandler.ts
@@ -32,18 +32,17 @@ abstract class BoundedBaseScopeHandler extends BaseScopeHandler {
   ) {
     super();
 
-    this.targetScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.createWithAssert(
+    this.targetScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
       this.targetScopeType,
       this.languageId,
     );
-    this.surroundingPairInteriorScopeHandler =
-      this.scopeHandlerFactory.createWithAssert(
-        {
-          type: "surroundingPairInterior",
-          delimiter: "any",
-        },
-        this.languageId,
-      );
+    this.surroundingPairInteriorScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+      {
+        type: "surroundingPairInterior",
+        delimiter: "any",
+      },
+      this.languageId,
+    );
   }
 
   get iterationScopeType(): ScopeType {
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/NestedScopeHandler.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/NestedScopeHandler.ts
index d8284b2744..95af8c8675 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/NestedScopeHandler.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/NestedScopeHandler.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export abstract class NestedScopeHandler extends BaseScopeHandler {
 
   private get searchScopeHandler(): ScopeHandler {
     if (this._searchScopeHandler == null) {
-      this._searchScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.createWithAssert(
+      this._searchScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
         this.searchScopeType,
         this.languageId,
       );
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/OneOfScopeHandler.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/OneOfScopeHandler.ts
index 6a8f91d28e..c484ef76a9 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/OneOfScopeHandler.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/OneOfScopeHandler.ts
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ export class OneOfScopeHandler extends BaseScopeHandler {
     languageId: string,
   ): ScopeHandler {
     const scopeHandlers: ScopeHandler[] = scopeType.scopeTypes.map(
-      (scopeType) =>
-        scopeHandlerFactory.createWithAssert(scopeType, languageId),
+      (scopeType) => scopeHandlerFactory.create(scopeType, languageId),
     );
 
     const iterationScopeType = (): CustomScopeType => ({
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ export class OneOfScopeHandler extends BaseScopeHandler {
       scopeHandler: new OneOfScopeHandler(
         undefined,
         scopeHandlers.map((scopeHandler) =>
-          scopeHandlerFactory.createWithAssert(
+          scopeHandlerFactory.create(
             scopeHandler.iterationScopeType,
             languageId,
           ),
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactory.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactory.ts
index 74229e5759..977332839a 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactory.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactory.ts
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ import type { ScopeType } from "@cursorless/common";
 import type { CustomScopeType, ScopeHandler } from "./scopeHandler.types";
 
 export interface ScopeHandlerFactory {
-  create(
+  tryCreate(
     scopeType: ScopeType | CustomScopeType,
     languageId: string,
   ): ScopeHandler | undefined;
 
-  createWithAssert(
+  create(
     scopeType: ScopeType | CustomScopeType,
     languageId: string,
   ): ScopeHandler;
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactoryImpl.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactoryImpl.ts
index 149990b23c..b4b071c3a6 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactoryImpl.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/ScopeHandlerFactoryImpl.ts
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@ import type { CustomScopeType, ScopeHandler } from "./scopeHandler.types";
  */
 export class ScopeHandlerFactoryImpl implements ScopeHandlerFactory {
   constructor(private languageDefinitions: LanguageDefinitions) {
-    this.create = this.create.bind(this);
+    this.tryCreate = this.tryCreate.bind(this);
   }
 
-  create(
+  tryCreate(
     scopeType: ScopeType | CustomScopeType,
     languageId: string,
   ): ScopeHandler | undefined {
@@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ export class ScopeHandlerFactoryImpl implements ScopeHandlerFactory {
     }
   }
 
-  createWithAssert(
+  create(
     scopeType: ScopeType | CustomScopeType,
     languageId: string,
   ): ScopeHandler {
-    const handler = this.create(scopeType, languageId);
+    const handler = this.tryCreate(scopeType, languageId);
     if (handler == null) {
       throw new Error(`Couldn't create scope handler for '${scopeType.type}'`);
     }
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairInteriorScopeHandler.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairInteriorScopeHandler.ts
index 289423a7c5..feb91a40a5 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairInteriorScopeHandler.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairInteriorScopeHandler.ts
@@ -17,15 +17,14 @@ export class SurroundingPairInteriorScopeHandler extends BaseScopeHandler {
   ) {
     super();
 
-    this.surroundingPairScopeHandler =
-      this.scopeHandlerFactory.createWithAssert(
-        {
-          type: "surroundingPair",
-          delimiter: this.scopeType.delimiter,
-          requireStrongContainment: true,
-        },
-        this.languageId,
-      );
+    this.surroundingPairScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+      {
+        type: "surroundingPair",
+        delimiter: this.scopeType.delimiter,
+        requireStrongContainment: true,
+      },
+      this.languageId,
+    );
   }
 
   get iterationScopeType() {
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeRangeProvider.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeRangeProvider.ts
index c69fe4c860..15002defc3 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeRangeProvider.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeRangeProvider.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export class ScopeRangeProvider {
     editor: TextEditor,
     { scopeType, visibleOnly }: ScopeRangeConfig,
   ): ScopeRanges[] {
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
       scopeType,
       editor.document.languageId,
     );
@@ -50,13 +50,16 @@ export class ScopeRangeProvider {
     { scopeType, visibleOnly, includeNestedTargets }: IterationScopeRangeConfig,
   ): IterationScopeRanges[] {
     const { languageId } = editor.document;
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(scopeType, languageId);
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
+      scopeType,
+      languageId,
+    );
 
     if (scopeHandler == null) {
       return [];
     }
 
-    const iterationScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+    const iterationScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
       scopeHandler.iterationScopeType,
       languageId,
     );
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeSupportChecker.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeSupportChecker.ts
index a3844346eb..c1d812948d 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeSupportChecker.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/scopeProviders/ScopeSupportChecker.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ export class ScopeSupportChecker {
    */
   getScopeSupport(editor: TextEditor, scopeType: ScopeType): ScopeSupport {
     const { languageId } = editor.document;
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(scopeType, languageId);
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
+      scopeType,
+      languageId,
+    );
 
     if (scopeHandler == null) {
       return getLegacyScopeSupport(languageId, scopeType);
@@ -53,13 +56,16 @@ export class ScopeSupportChecker {
     scopeType: ScopeType,
   ): ScopeSupport {
     const { languageId } = editor.document;
-    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(scopeType, languageId);
+    const scopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
+      scopeType,
+      languageId,
+    );
 
     if (scopeHandler == null) {
       return getLegacyScopeSupport(languageId, scopeType);
     }
 
-    const iterationScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.create(
+    const iterationScopeHandler = this.scopeHandlerFactory.tryCreate(
       scopeHandler.iterationScopeType,
       languageId,
     );