diff --git a/artiq/devices/runtime.py b/artiq/devices/runtime.py
index 256a59642..f2477bec2 100644
--- a/artiq/devices/runtime.py
+++ b/artiq/devices/runtime.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class LinkInterface:
         func_type = lc.Type.function(lc.Type.void(), [lc.Type.int()])
         self.llvm_module.add_function(func_type, "__eh_raise")
 
-    def syscall(self, syscall_name, args, builder):
+    def build_syscall(self, syscall_name, args, builder):
         r = _chr_to_value[_syscalls[syscall_name][-1]]()
         if builder is not None:
             args = [arg.auto_load(builder) for arg in args]
diff --git a/artiq/py2llvm/ast_body.py b/artiq/py2llvm/ast_body.py
index 864e37a45..df742bf78 100644
--- a/artiq/py2llvm/ast_body.py
+++ b/artiq/py2llvm/ast_body.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class Visitor:
                 self.builder,
                 [self.visit_expression(arg) for arg in node.args])
         elif fn == "syscall":
-            return self.env.syscall(
+            return self.env.build_syscall(
                 node.args[0].s,
                 [self.visit_expression(expr) for expr in node.args[1:]],
                 self.builder)