diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index 5146093ed..44a104534 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -213,21 +213,18 @@ class Account(object):
         """
         return Contact(self, const.DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF)
 
-    def create_contact(self, addr, name=None):
-        """ create a (new) Contact. If there already is a Contact
-        with that e-mail address, it is unblocked and its display
-        name is updated.
+    def create_contact(self, obj, name=None):
+        """ create a (new) Contact or return an existing one.
 
-        :param addr: email-address, Account or Contact instance.
-        :param name: display name for this contact (optional)
+        Calling this method will always resulut in the same
+        underlying contact id.  If there already is a Contact
+        with that e-mail address, it is unblocked and its display
+        `name` is updated if specified.
+
+        :param obj: email-address, Account or Contact instance.
+        :param name: (optional) display name for this contact
         :returns: :class:`deltachat.contact.Contact` instance.
         """
-        if not isinstance(addr, (Account, Contact, str)):
-            raise TypeError(str(addr))
-        return self.as_contact(addr, name=name)
-
-    def as_contact(self, obj, name=None):
-        """ Create a contact from an Account, Contact or e-mail address. """
         if isinstance(obj, Account):
             if not obj.is_configured():
                 raise ValueError("can only add addresses from configured accounts")
@@ -309,7 +306,7 @@ class Account(object):
 
     def create_chat(self, obj):
         """ Create a 1:1 chat with Account, Contact or e-mail address. """
-        return self.as_contact(obj).create_chat()
+        return self.create_contact(obj).create_chat()
 
     def _create_chat_by_message_id(self, msg_id):
         return Chat(self, lib.dc_create_chat_by_msg_id(self._dc_context, msg_id))
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/chat.py b/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
index 543deb0b9..f512f8e7b 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ class Chat(object):
         :raises ValueError: if contact could not be added
         :returns: None
         """
-        contact = self.account.as_contact(obj)
+        contact = self.account.create_contact(obj)
         ret = lib.dc_add_contact_to_chat(self.account._dc_context, self.id, contact.id)
         if ret != 1:
             raise ValueError("could not add contact {!r} to chat".format(contact))
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ class Chat(object):
         :raises ValueError: if contact could not be removed
         :returns: None
         """
-        contact = self.account.as_contact(obj)
+        contact = self.account.create_contact(obj)
         ret = lib.dc_remove_contact_from_chat(self.account._dc_context, self.id, contact.id)
         if ret != 1:
             raise ValueError("could not remove contact {!r} from chat".format(contact))
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index d52593506..03002cc46 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ class TestOfflineAccountBasic:
 class TestOfflineContact:
     def test_contact_attr(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
-        contact2 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1")
+        contact2 = ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1")
         str(contact1)
         repr(contact1)
         assert contact1 == contact2
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class TestOfflineContact:
 
     def test_get_contacts_and_delete(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1")
         contacts = ac1.get_contacts()
         assert len(contacts) == 1
         assert contact1 in contacts
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class TestOfflineContact:
 
     def test_get_contacts_and_delete_fails(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@example.com", name="some1")
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@example.com", name="some1")
         msg = contact1.create_chat().send_text("one message")
         assert not ac1.delete_contact(contact1)
         assert not msg.filemime
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
         lp.sec("ac1: creating group chat, and forward own message")
         group = ac1.create_group_chat("newgroup2")
-        group.add_contact(ac1.create_contact(ac2.get_config("addr")))
+        group.add_contact(ac2)
         ac1.forward_messages([msg_out], group)
 
         # wait for other account to receive
@@ -1485,7 +1485,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         assert locations[0].accuracy == 0.5
         assert locations[0].timestamp > now
 
-        contact = ac2.create_contact(ac1.get_config("addr"))
+        contact = ac2.create_contact(ac1)
         locations2 = chat2.get_locations(contact=contact)
         assert len(locations2) == 1
         assert locations2 == locations
diff --git a/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py b/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
index 62fce7275..7477eb588 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def test_sig():
 def test_markseen_invalid_message_ids(acfactory):
     ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
 
-    contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@example.com", name="some1")
+    contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@example.com", name="some1")
     chat = contact1.create_chat()
     chat.send_text("one messae")
     ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_MSGS_CHANGED")