diff --git a/include/mapnik/datasource.hpp b/include/mapnik/datasource.hpp
index 92974c998..6ff92ae73 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/datasource.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/datasource.hpp
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
-typedef MAPNIK_DECL boost::shared_ptr<Feature> feature_ptr;
-
 struct MAPNIK_DECL Featureset : private mapnik::noncopyable
 {
     virtual feature_ptr next() = 0;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/feature.hpp b/include/mapnik/feature.hpp
index daa732be0..2782562e2 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/feature.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/feature.hpp
@@ -313,6 +313,8 @@ inline std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream & out,feature_impl const& f)
 
 typedef feature_impl Feature;
 
+typedef MAPNIK_DECL boost::shared_ptr<Feature> feature_ptr;
+
 }
 
 #endif // MAPNIK_FEATURE_HPP
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/feature_collection_parser.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/feature_collection_parser.hpp
index 5238f37a0..454d69a98 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/feature_collection_parser.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/feature_collection_parser.hpp
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
 // mapnik
 #include <mapnik/config.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/feature.hpp>
-#include <mapnik/datasource.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/noncopyable.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/unicode.hpp>
 
 // boost
 #include <boost/scoped_ptr.hpp>
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ template <typename Iterator>
 class feature_collection_parser : private mapnik::noncopyable
 {
     typedef Iterator iterator_type;
-    typedef mapnik::Feature feature_type;
+    typedef mapnik::feature_impl feature_type;
 public:
     feature_collection_parser(mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx, mapnik::transcoder const& tr);
     ~feature_collection_parser();
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/feature_generator_grammar.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/feature_generator_grammar.hpp
index 7968d3716..d5d16c47d 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/feature_generator_grammar.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/feature_generator_grammar.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 // mapnik
 #include <mapnik/global.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/value.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/feature.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/json/geometry_generator_grammar.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/feature_kv_iterator.hpp>
@@ -43,29 +44,29 @@
 namespace boost { namespace spirit { namespace traits {
 
 template <>
-struct is_container<mapnik::Feature const> : mpl::false_ {} ;
+struct is_container<mapnik::feature_impl const> : mpl::false_ {} ;
 
 template <>
-struct container_iterator<mapnik::Feature const>
+struct container_iterator<mapnik::feature_impl const>
 {
     typedef mapnik::feature_kv_iterator2 type;
 };
 
 template <>
-struct begin_container<mapnik::Feature const>
+struct begin_container<mapnik::feature_impl const>
 {
     static mapnik::feature_kv_iterator2
-    call (mapnik::Feature const& f)
+    call (mapnik::feature_impl const& f)
     {
         return mapnik::feature_kv_iterator2(mapnik::value_not_null(),f.begin(),f.end());
     }
 };
 
 template <>
-struct end_container<mapnik::Feature const>
+struct end_container<mapnik::feature_impl const>
 {
     static mapnik::feature_kv_iterator2
-    call (mapnik::Feature const& f)
+    call (mapnik::feature_impl const& f)
     {
         return mapnik::feature_kv_iterator2(mapnik::value_not_null(),f.end(),f.end());
     }
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ struct get_id
     template <typename T>
     struct result { typedef int type; };
 
-    int operator() (mapnik::Feature const& f) const
+    int operator() (mapnik::feature_impl const& f) const
     {
         return f.id();
     }
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ struct make_properties_range
     template <typename T>
     struct result { typedef properties_range_type type; };
 
-    properties_range_type operator() (mapnik::Feature const& f) const
+    properties_range_type operator() (mapnik::feature_impl const& f) const
     {
         return boost::make_iterator_range(f.begin(),f.end());
     }
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ struct escaped_string
 
 template <typename OutputIterator>
 struct feature_generator_grammar:
-        karma::grammar<OutputIterator, mapnik::Feature const&()>
+        karma::grammar<OutputIterator, mapnik::feature_impl const&()>
 {
     typedef boost::tuple<std::string, mapnik::value> pair_type;
     typedef make_properties_range::properties_range_type range_type;
@@ -224,10 +225,10 @@ struct feature_generator_grammar:
     }
 
     // rules
-    karma::rule<OutputIterator, mapnik::Feature const&()> feature;
+    karma::rule<OutputIterator, mapnik::feature_impl const&()> feature;
     multi_geometry_generator_grammar<OutputIterator> geometry;
     escaped_string<OutputIterator> escaped_string_;
-    karma::rule<OutputIterator, mapnik::Feature const&()> properties;
+    karma::rule<OutputIterator, mapnik::feature_impl const&()> properties;
     karma::rule<OutputIterator, pair_type()> pair;
     karma::rule<OutputIterator, void(mapnik::value const&)> value;
     karma::rule<OutputIterator, mapnik::value_null()> value_null_;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
index 3acf72704..fbffaed07 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 // mapnik
 #include <mapnik/json/geometry_grammar.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/value.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/feature.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/unicode.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/value.hpp>
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/geojson_generator.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/geojson_generator.hpp
index 36c587c3b..acc644eb1 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/geojson_generator.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/geojson_generator.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class MAPNIK_DECL feature_generator : private mapnik::noncopyable
 public:
     feature_generator();
     ~feature_generator();
-    bool generate(std::string & geojson, mapnik::Feature const& f);
+    bool generate(std::string & geojson, mapnik::feature_impl const& f);
 private:
     boost::scoped_ptr<feature_generator_grammar<sink_type> > grammar_;
 };
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class MAPNIK_DECL feature_generator : private mapnik::noncopyable
 public:
     feature_generator() {}
     ~feature_generator() {}
-    bool generate(std::string & geojson, mapnik::Feature const& f);
+    bool generate(std::string & geojson, mapnik::feature_impl const& f);
 };
 
 class MAPNIK_DECL geometry_generator : private mapnik::noncopyable
diff --git a/include/mapnik/marker_helpers.hpp b/include/mapnik/marker_helpers.hpp
index 7d9861528..607908c07 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/marker_helpers.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/marker_helpers.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #define MAPNIK_MARKER_HELPERS_HPP
 
 #include <mapnik/color.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/feature.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/geometry.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/geom_util.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/markers_symbolizer.hpp>
@@ -303,17 +304,17 @@ void build_ellipse(T const& sym, mapnik::feature_impl const& feature, svg_storag
     double height = 0;
     if (width_expr && height_expr)
     {
-        width = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<Feature,value_type>(feature), *width_expr).to_double();
-        height = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<Feature,value_type>(feature), *height_expr).to_double();
+        width = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<feature_impl,value_type>(feature), *width_expr).to_double();
+        height = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<feature_impl,value_type>(feature), *height_expr).to_double();
     }
     else if (width_expr)
     {
-        width = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<Feature,value_type>(feature), *width_expr).to_double();
+        width = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<feature_impl,value_type>(feature), *width_expr).to_double();
         height = width;
     }
     else if (height_expr)
     {
-        height = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<Feature,value_type>(feature), *height_expr).to_double();
+        height = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<feature_impl,value_type>(feature), *height_expr).to_double();
         width = height;
     }
     svg::svg_converter_type styled_svg(svg_path, marker_ellipse.attributes());
@@ -386,11 +387,11 @@ void setup_transform_scaling(agg::trans_affine & tr, box2d<double> const& bbox,
 
     expression_ptr const& width_expr = sym.get_width();
     if (width_expr)
-        width = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<Feature,value_type>(feature), *width_expr).to_double();
+        width = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<feature_impl,value_type>(feature), *width_expr).to_double();
 
     expression_ptr const& height_expr = sym.get_height();
     if (height_expr)
-        height = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<Feature,value_type>(feature), *height_expr).to_double();
+        height = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<feature_impl,value_type>(feature), *height_expr).to_double();
 
     if (width > 0 && height > 0)
     {