diff --git a/atom.gyp b/atom.gyp
index 60d91c3cb45e..41e26f815bdd 100644
--- a/atom.gyp
+++ b/atom.gyp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
       'browser/api/lib/dialog.coffee',
       'browser/api/lib/ipc.coffee',
       'browser/api/lib/menu.coffee',
+      'browser/api/lib/menu_item.coffee',
       'browser/atom/atom.coffee',
       'browser/atom/objects_registry.coffee',
       'browser/atom/rpc_server.coffee',
diff --git a/browser/api/atom_api_menu.cc b/browser/api/atom_api_menu.cc
index 627d1f30a421..544ad4339cec 100644
--- a/browser/api/atom_api_menu.cc
+++ b/browser/api/atom_api_menu.cc
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ v8::Handle<v8::Value> Menu::InsertRadioItem(const v8::Arguments &args) {
 v8::Handle<v8::Value> Menu::InsertSeparator(const v8::Arguments &args) {
   UNWRAP_MEMNU_AND_CHECK;
 
-  if (!args[0]->IsNumber() || !args[1]->IsNumber() || !args[2]->IsString())
+  if (!args[0]->IsNumber())
     return node::ThrowTypeError("Bad argument");
 
   int index = args[0]->IntegerValue();
diff --git a/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee b/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee
index f2d27a72f915..132ad8faaa4c 100644
--- a/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee
+++ b/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 EventEmitter = require('events').EventEmitter
 BrowserWindow = require 'browser_window'
+MenuItem = require 'menu_item'
 
 bindings = process.atomBinding 'menu'
+
 Menu = bindings.Menu
 Menu::__proto__ = EventEmitter.prototype
 
@@ -11,23 +13,28 @@ Menu::popup = (window) ->
 
   popup.call this, window
 
-insertSubMenu = Menu::insertSubMenu
-Menu::insertSubMenu = (index, command_id, label, submenu) ->
-  throw new TypeError('Invalid menu') unless submenu?.constructor is Menu
+Menu::insert = (pos, item) ->
+  throw new TypeError('Invalid item') unless item?.constructor is MenuItem
 
-  @menus = [] unless Array.isArray @menus
-  @menus.push submenu # prevent submenu from getting destroyed
-  insertSubMenu.apply this, arguments
+  switch item.type
+    when 'normal' then @insertItem pos, item.commandId, item.label
+    when 'checkbox' then @insertCheckItem pos, item.commandId, item.label
+    when 'radio' then @insertRadioItem pos, item.commandId, item.label, item.groupId
+    when 'separator' then @insertSeparator pos
+    when 'submenu' then @insertSubMenu pos, item.commandId, item.label, item.submenu
 
-Menu::appendItem = (args...) -> @insertItem -1, args...
-Menu::appendCheckItem = (args...) -> @insertCheckItem -1, args...
-Menu::appendRadioItem = (args...) -> @insertRadioItem -1, args...
-Menu::appendSeparator = (args...) -> @insertSeparator -1, args...
-Menu::appendSubMenu = (args...) -> @insertSubMenu -1, args...
+  @setSublabel pos, item.sublabel if item.sublabel?
+
+  @items = {} unless @items?
+  @items[item.commandId] = item
+
+Menu::append = (item) ->
+  @insert @getItemCount(), item
 
 Menu.setApplicationMenu = (menu) ->
   throw new TypeError('Invalid menu') unless menu?.constructor is Menu
   bindings.setApplicationMenu menu
+
 Menu.sendActionToFirstResponder = bindings.sendActionToFirstResponder
 
 module.exports = Menu
diff --git a/browser/api/lib/menu_item.coffee b/browser/api/lib/menu_item.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d9d801dabcdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/browser/api/lib/menu_item.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+nextCommandId = 0
+
+class MenuItem
+  @types = ['normal', 'separator', 'submenu', 'checkbox', 'radio']
+
+  constructor: (options) ->
+    {@type, @label, @sublabel, @click, @checked, @groupId, @submenu} = options
+
+    @type = @type ? 'normal'
+    @label = @label ? ''
+    @sublabel = @sublabel ? ''
+
+    throw new Error('Unknown menu type') if MenuItem.types.indexOf(@type) is -1
+    throw new Error('Invalid menu') if @type is 'submenu' and @submenu?.constructor.name isnt 'Menu'
+
+    @commandId = ++nextCommandId
+
+module.exports = MenuItem