diff --git a/include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h b/include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h
index bebb9b1ca..5f7a68721 100644
--- a/include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h
+++ b/include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h
@@ -48,66 +48,8 @@
 
 STRINGS_API const wxString& GetCustomTranslation(const wxString& str1 );
 
-/**************************************************************************//**
-
-\brief ComponentInterfaceSymbol pairs a persistent string identifier used internally
-with an optional, different string as msgid for lookup in a translation catalog.
-\details  If there is need to change a msgid in a later version of the
-program, change the constructor call to supply a second argument but leave the
-first the same, so that compatibility of older configuration files containing
-that internal string is not broken.
-********************************************************************************/
-class ComponentInterfaceSymbol
-{
-public:
-   ComponentInterfaceSymbol() = default;
-   
-   // Allows implicit construction from a msgid re-used as an internal string
-   ComponentInterfaceSymbol( const TranslatableString &msgid )
-      : mInternal{ msgid.MSGID().GET(), }, mMsgid{ msgid }
-   {}
-
-   // Allows implicit construction from an internal string re-used as a msgid
-   ComponentInterfaceSymbol( const wxString &internal )
-      : mInternal{ internal }, mMsgid{ internal, {} }
-   {}
-
-   // Allows implicit construction from an internal string re-used as a msgid
-   ComponentInterfaceSymbol( const wxChar *msgid )
-      : mInternal{ msgid }, mMsgid{ msgid, {} }
-   {}
-
-   // Two-argument version distinguishes internal from translatable string
-   // such as when the first squeezes spaces out
-   ComponentInterfaceSymbol( const Identifier &internal,
-                         const TranslatableString &msgid )
-      : mInternal{ internal.GET() }
-      // Do not permit non-empty msgid with empty internal
-      , mMsgid{ internal.empty() ? TranslatableString{} : msgid }
-   {}
-
-   const wxString &Internal() const { return mInternal; }
-   const TranslatableString &Msgid() const { return mMsgid; }
-   const TranslatableString Stripped() const { return mMsgid.Stripped(); }
-   const wxString Translation() const { return mMsgid.Translation(); }
-   const wxString StrippedTranslation() const
-      { return Stripped().Translation(); }
-
-   bool empty() const { return mInternal.empty(); }
-
-   friend inline bool operator == (
-      const ComponentInterfaceSymbol &a, const ComponentInterfaceSymbol &b )
-   { return a.mInternal == b.mInternal; }
-
-   friend inline bool operator != (
-      const ComponentInterfaceSymbol &a, const ComponentInterfaceSymbol &b )
-   { return !( a == b ); }
-
-private:
-   wxString mInternal;
-   TranslatableString mMsgid;
-};
-
+class ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
+using VendorSymbol = ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
 
 class ShuttleParams;
 
diff --git a/include/audacity/EffectAutomationParameters.h b/include/audacity/EffectAutomationParameters.h
index 0a99b22f0..60c797803 100644
--- a/include/audacity/EffectAutomationParameters.h
+++ b/include/audacity/EffectAutomationParameters.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 
 #include "ComponentInterface.h"
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/include/audacity/EffectInterface.h b/include/audacity/EffectInterface.h
index cf6ed40a3..64c3a1200 100755
--- a/include/audacity/EffectInterface.h
+++ b/include/audacity/EffectInterface.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 
 #include "Identifier.h"
 #include "audacity/ComponentInterface.h"
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 #include "audacity/ConfigInterface.h"
 #include "audacity/EffectAutomationParameters.h" // for command automation
 
diff --git a/include/audacity/Types.h b/include/audacity/Types.h
index 60a338baf..8b00333f9 100644
--- a/include/audacity/Types.h
+++ b/include/audacity/Types.h
@@ -256,17 +256,4 @@ typedef enum
    ChannelNameBottomFrontRight,
 } ChannelName, *ChannelNames;
 
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// some frequently needed forward declarations
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-class ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
-
-using EnumValueSymbol = ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
-using NumericFormatSymbol = EnumValueSymbol;
-
-using VendorSymbol = ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
-
-using EffectFamilySymbol = ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
-
 #endif // __AUDACITY_TYPES_H__
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index a8466beee..00808d3a7 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ list( APPEND SOURCES
       Clipboard.h
       CommonCommandFlags.cpp
       CommonCommandFlags.h
+      ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h
       CrashReport.cpp
       CrashReport.h
       DarkThemeAsCeeCode.h
diff --git a/src/ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h b/src/ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h
index bebb9b1ca..e9e58503a 100644
--- a/src/ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h
+++ b/src/ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h
@@ -1,52 +1,18 @@
 /**********************************************************************
 
-   Audacity: A Digital Audio Editor
+  Audacity: A Digital Audio Editor
 
-   ComponentInterface.h
+  @file ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h
 
-   Leland Lucius
+  Paul Licameli split from ComponentInterface.h
 
-   Copyright (c) 2014, Audacity Team 
-   All rights reserved.
-
-   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
-   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
-   are met:
-
-   1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
-   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
-
-   2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
-   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
-   documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
-
-   3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its
-   contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
-   this software without specific prior written permission.
-
-   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
-   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
-   FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
-   COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
-   INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
-   BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
-   LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
-   CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
-   LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
-   ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
-   POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
-   
 **********************************************************************/
 
-#ifndef __AUDACITY_COMPONENT_INTERFACE_H__
-#define __AUDACITY_COMPONENT_INTERFACE_H__
+#ifndef __AUDACITY_COMPONENT_INTERFACE_SYMBOL__
+#define __AUDACITY_COMPONENT_INTERFACE_SYMBOL__
 
 #include "Identifier.h"
-#include "audacity/Types.h"
-#include <wx/string.h> // member variables
-
-STRINGS_API const wxString& GetCustomTranslation(const wxString& str1 );
+#include "Internat.h"
 
 /**************************************************************************//**
 
@@ -108,41 +74,9 @@ private:
    TranslatableString mMsgid;
 };
 
+// TODO: real type distinctions for these aliases, and move them elsewhere
+using EnumValueSymbol = ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
+using NumericFormatSymbol = EnumValueSymbol;
+using EffectFamilySymbol = ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
 
-class ShuttleParams;
-
-/**************************************************************************//**
-
-\brief ComponentInterface provides name / vendor / version functions to identify
-plugins.  It is what makes a class a plug-in.  Additionally it provides an
-optional parameter definitions function, for those components such as commands,
-effects and (soon) preference pagess that define parameters.
-********************************************************************************/
-class AUDACITY_DLL_API ComponentInterface /* not final */
-{
-public:
-   virtual ~ComponentInterface() {};
-
-   // These should return an untranslated value
-   virtual PluginPath GetPath() = 0;
-
-   // The internal string persists in configuration files
-   // So config compatibility will break if it is changed across Audacity versions
-   virtual ComponentInterfaceSymbol GetSymbol() = 0;
-
-   virtual VendorSymbol GetVendor() = 0;
-
-   virtual wxString GetVersion() = 0;
-
-   // This returns a translated string
-   // Any verb should be present tense indicative, not imperative
-   virtual TranslatableString GetDescription() = 0;
-
-   // non-virtual convenience function
-   TranslatableString GetName();
-
-   // Parameters, if defined.  false means no defined parameters.
-   virtual bool DefineParams( ShuttleParams & WXUNUSED(S) ){ return false;};   
-};
-
-#endif // __AUDACITY_IDENTINTERFACE_H__
+#endif
diff --git a/src/Prefs.h b/src/Prefs.h
index 95da48bb0..766900f78 100644
--- a/src/Prefs.h
+++ b/src/Prefs.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <functional>
 
 #include "../include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h"
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 #include "wxArrayStringEx.h"
 #include "widgets/FileConfig.h"
 
diff --git a/src/ProjectSelectionManager.h b/src/ProjectSelectionManager.h
index eb4072b06..26cfebe15 100644
--- a/src/ProjectSelectionManager.h
+++ b/src/ProjectSelectionManager.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Paul Licameli split from ProjectManager.cpp
 #include "ClientData.h" // to inherit
 #include "toolbars/SelectionBarListener.h" // to inherit
 #include "toolbars/SpectralSelectionBarListener.h" // to inherit
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 
 class AudacityProject;
 
diff --git a/src/Shuttle.h b/src/Shuttle.h
index 1b22a8abf..183b84455 100644
--- a/src/Shuttle.h
+++ b/src/Shuttle.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #define __AUDACITY_SHUTTLE__
 
 #include "../include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h"
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 
 class ComponentInterfaceSymbol;
 class WrappedType;
diff --git a/src/ShuttleGetDefinition.cpp b/src/ShuttleGetDefinition.cpp
index 1655875ca..fe0653445 100644
--- a/src/ShuttleGetDefinition.cpp
+++ b/src/ShuttleGetDefinition.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 **********************************************************************/
 
 #include "ShuttleGetDefinition.h"
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 
 bool ShuttleGetDefinition::IsOptional(){
    bool result = pOptionalFlag !=NULL;
diff --git a/src/toolbars/SelectionBarListener.h b/src/toolbars/SelectionBarListener.h
index 82823b0f2..b9d652c63 100644
--- a/src/toolbars/SelectionBarListener.h
+++ b/src/toolbars/SelectionBarListener.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #define __AUDACITY_SELECTION_BAR_LISTENER__
 
 #include "audacity/Types.h"
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 
 class SelectedRegion;
 
diff --git a/src/tracks/playabletrack/wavetrack/ui/WaveTrackViewConstants.h b/src/tracks/playabletrack/wavetrack/ui/WaveTrackViewConstants.h
index 6735a9e4d..bf25aa982 100644
--- a/src/tracks/playabletrack/wavetrack/ui/WaveTrackViewConstants.h
+++ b/src/tracks/playabletrack/wavetrack/ui/WaveTrackViewConstants.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Paul Licameli split from class WaveTrack
 #ifndef __AUDACITY_WAVE_TRACK_VIEW_CONSTANTS__
 #define __AUDACITY_WAVE_TRACK_VIEW_CONSTANTS__
 
-#include "audacity/ComponentInterface.h" // for EnumValueSymbol
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h" // for EnumValueSymbol
 
 namespace WaveTrackViewConstants
 {
diff --git a/src/widgets/NumericTextCtrl.h b/src/widgets/NumericTextCtrl.h
index f32a83f48..41544c443 100644
--- a/src/widgets/NumericTextCtrl.h
+++ b/src/widgets/NumericTextCtrl.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include <memory>
 #include "../../include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h"
+#include "ComponentInterfaceSymbol.h"
 #include <vector>
 #include <wx/setup.h> // for wxUSE_* macros
 #include <wx/defs.h>