diff --git a/dmlcloud/core/pipeline.py b/dmlcloud/core/pipeline.py
index 8c103a8..cc42fdb 100644
--- a/dmlcloud/core/pipeline.py
+++ b/dmlcloud/core/pipeline.py
@@ -78,13 +78,11 @@ def register_dataset(self, name: str, dataset: Union[DataLoader, Dataset, Sequen
                 msg += '    - Batches (/Worker): N/A\n'
             dml_logging.info(msg)
 
-    def append_stage(self, stage: Stage, max_epochs: Optional[int] = None, name: Optional[str] = None):
+    def append(self, stage: Stage):
         if not isinstance(stage, Stage):
             raise ValueError('stage must be a Stage object')
 
         stage.pipe = self
-        stage.max_epochs = max_epochs
-        stage.name = name
         self.stages.append(stage)
 
     def enable_checkpointing(
diff --git a/dmlcloud/core/stage.py b/dmlcloud/core/stage.py
index cd9e48a..97502f4 100644
--- a/dmlcloud/core/stage.py
+++ b/dmlcloud/core/stage.py
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ class Stage:
         - post_epoch()
     """
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, name: str = None, epochs: int = 1):
+        self.name = name or self.__class__.__name__
+        self.max_epochs = epochs
+
         self.pipe = None  # set by the pipeline
-        self.max_epochs = None  # set by the pipeline
-        self.name = None  # set by the pipeline
 
         self.history = TrainingHistory()
         self.tracker = Tracker()
diff --git a/examples/barebone_mnist.py b/examples/barebone_mnist.py
index 2ce5b67..17eb4f7 100644
--- a/examples/barebone_mnist.py
+++ b/examples/barebone_mnist.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def _val_epoch(self):
 
 def main():
     pipe = dml.Pipeline()
-    pipe.append_stage(MNISTStage(), max_epochs=3)
+    pipe.append(MNISTStage(epochs=3))
     pipe.run()