diff --git a/docs/built-in-functions.rst b/docs/built-in-functions.rst
index 796e776801..6343d28010 100644
--- a/docs/built-in-functions.rst
+++ b/docs/built-in-functions.rst
@@ -289,7 +289,19 @@ Vyper has three built-ins for contract creation; all three contract creation bui
         def foo(_topic: bytes32, _data: Bytes[100]):
             raw_log([_topic], _data)
 
-.. py:function:: raw_revert(data: Bytes) -> None
+.. py:function:: raw_return(data: Bytes[...]) -> None
+
+    Provides low level access to the ``RETURN`` opcode, reverting execution with the specified data returned.
+
+    * ``data``: Data representing the error message causing the revert.
+
+    .. code-block:: vyper
+
+        @external
+        def foo(_data: Bytes[100]):
+            raw_return(_data)
+
+.. py:function:: raw_revert(data: Bytes[...]) -> None
 
     Provides low level access to the ``REVERT`` opcode, reverting execution with the specified data returned.
 
diff --git a/tests/functional/builtins/codegen/test_raw_return.py b/tests/functional/builtins/codegen/test_raw_return.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2148695bd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/builtins/codegen/test_raw_return.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+from eth.codecs import abi
+
+
+def test_raw_return(env, get_contract):
+    code = """
+@external
+def foo(data: Bytes[128]) -> DynArray[uint256, 2]:
+    raw_return(data)
+    """
+
+    c = get_contract(code)
+
+    data = [1, 2]
+    abi_encoded = abi.encode("(uint256[])", (data,))
+    assert c.foo(abi_encoded) == data
+
+
+def test_proxy_raw_return(env, get_contract):
+    impl1 = """
+@external
+def greet() -> String[32]:
+    return "Hello"
+    """
+
+    impl2 = """
+# test delegate calling with a different type, but byte-compatible in abi
+@external
+def greet() -> Bytes[32]:
+    return b"Goodbye"
+    """
+
+    proxy = """
+target: address
+
+@external
+def set_implementation(target: address):
+    self.target = target
+
+@external
+def greet() -> String[32]:
+    # forward msg.data to the implementation contract
+    data: Bytes[128] = raw_call(self.target, msg.data, is_delegate_call=True, max_outsize=128)
+    raw_return(data)
+    """
+
+    impl_c1 = get_contract(impl1)
+    impl_c2 = get_contract(impl2)
+
+    proxy_c = get_contract(proxy)
+
+    proxy_c.set_implementation(impl_c1.address)
+    assert proxy_c.greet() == impl_c1.greet() == "Hello"
+
+    proxy_c.set_implementation(impl_c2.address)
+    assert impl_c2.greet() == b"Goodbye"
+    assert proxy_c.greet() == "Goodbye"  # note: unsafe casted from bytes
diff --git a/tests/functional/codegen/features/test_reverting.py b/tests/functional/builtins/codegen/test_raw_revert.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/functional/codegen/features/test_reverting.py
rename to tests/functional/builtins/codegen/test_raw_revert.py
diff --git a/vyper/builtins/functions.py b/vyper/builtins/functions.py
index d9f8f48e01..72f5c82b57 100644
--- a/vyper/builtins/functions.py
+++ b/vyper/builtins/functions.py
@@ -1225,8 +1225,7 @@ def build_IR(self, expr, args, kwargs, contact):
         return IRnode.from_list(["blobhash", args[0]], typ=BYTES32_T)
 
 
-class RawRevert(BuiltinFunctionT):
-    _id = "raw_revert"
+class _RawReturnOrRevert(BuiltinFunctionT):
     _inputs = [("data", BytesT.any())]
     _return_type = None
     _is_terminus = True
@@ -1239,12 +1238,27 @@ def infer_arg_types(self, node, expected_return_typ=None):
         data_type = get_possible_types_from_node(node.args[0]).pop()
         return [data_type]
 
+    @property
+    def OPCODE(self):
+        # must be implemented by subclass
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
     @process_inputs
     def build_IR(self, expr, args, kwargs, context):
-        with ensure_in_memory(args[0], context).cache_when_complex("err_buf") as (b, buf):
+        with ensure_in_memory(args[0], context).cache_when_complex("buf") as (b, buf):
             data = bytes_data_ptr(buf)
             len_ = get_bytearray_length(buf)
-            return b.resolve(IRnode.from_list(["revert", data, len_]))
+            return b.resolve(IRnode.from_list([self.OPCODE, data, len_]))
+
+
+class RawRevert(_RawReturnOrRevert):
+    _id = "raw_revert"
+    OPCODE = "revert"
+
+
+class RawReturn(_RawReturnOrRevert):
+    _id = "raw_return"
+    OPCODE = "return"
 
 
 class RawLog(BuiltinFunctionT):
@@ -2687,6 +2701,7 @@ def _try_fold(self, node):
     "raw_call": RawCall(),
     "raw_log": RawLog(),
     "raw_revert": RawRevert(),
+    "raw_return": RawReturn(),
     "create_minimal_proxy_to": CreateMinimalProxyTo(),
     "create_forwarder_to": CreateForwarderTo(),
     "create_copy_of": CreateCopyOf(),