diff --git a/src/SConscript b/src/SConscript
index eb7f1e61e..19ca0426b 100644
--- a/src/SConscript
+++ b/src/SConscript
@@ -114,9 +114,12 @@ source = Split(
     )
 
 
-if True :
+if True : # agg backend
     source += Split(
         """
+    agg/process_point_symbolizer.cpp
+    agg/process_shield_symbolizer.cpp
+    agg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
     agg_svg_path_renderer.cpp
     svg_parser.cpp
     svg_path_parser.cpp
diff --git a/src/agg_renderer.cpp b/src/agg_renderer.cpp
index 2e594b3f9..a33312377 100644
--- a/src/agg_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/agg_renderer.cpp
@@ -25,11 +25,8 @@
 #include <mapnik/agg_renderer.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_util.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_cache.hpp>
-#include <mapnik/svg/marker_cache.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/unicode.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/placement_finder.hpp>
-#include <mapnik/markers_placement.hpp>
-#include <mapnik/arrow.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/config_error.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/font_set.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/path_expression_grammar.hpp>
@@ -425,216 +422,9 @@ void agg_renderer<T>::process(line_symbolizer const& sym,
     agg::render_scanlines(*ras_ptr, sl, ren);
 }
 
-template <typename T>
-void agg_renderer<T>::process(point_symbolizer const& sym,
-                              Feature const& feature,
-                              proj_transform const& prj_trans)
-{
-    double x;
-    double y;
-    double z=0;
-    
-    std::string filename = path_processor_type::evaluate( *sym.get_filename(), feature);
-    boost::optional<mapnik::image_ptr> data;
-    
-    if ( filename.empty() )
-    {
-        // default OGC 4x4 black square
-        data = boost::optional<mapnik::image_ptr>(new image_data_32(4,4));
-        (*data)->set(0xff000000);
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        data = mapnik::image_cache::instance()->find(filename,true);
-    }
-    
-    if ( data )
-    {
-	for (unsigned i=0;i<feature.num_geometries();++i)
-	{
-            geometry2d const& geom = feature.get_geometry(i);
-
-            geom.label_position(&x,&y);
-            prj_trans.backward(x,y,z);
-            t_.forward(&x,&y);
-            int w = (*data)->width();
-            int h = (*data)->height();
-            int px=int(floor(x - 0.5 * w));
-            int py=int(floor(y - 0.5 * h));
-            box2d<double> label_ext (floor(x - 0.5 * w),
-				     floor(y - 0.5 * h),
-				     ceil (x + 0.5 * w),
-				     ceil (y + 0.5 * h));
-            if (sym.get_allow_overlap() ||
-                detector_.has_placement(label_ext))
-            {
-		pixmap_.set_rectangle_alpha2(*(*data),px,py,sym.get_opacity());
-		detector_.insert(label_ext);
-            }
-	}
-    }
-}
-
-template <typename T>
-void  agg_renderer<T>::process(shield_symbolizer const& sym,
-			       Feature const& feature,
-			       proj_transform const& prj_trans)
-{
-    typedef  coord_transform2<CoordTransform,geometry2d> path_type;
-
-    UnicodeString text;
-    if( sym.get_no_text() )
-	text = UnicodeString( " " );  // TODO: fix->use 'space' as the text to render
-    else
-    {
-	expression_ptr name_expr = sym.get_name();
-	if (!name_expr) return;
-	value_type result = boost::apply_visitor(evaluate<Feature,value_type>(feature),*name_expr);
-	text = result.to_unicode();
-    }
-    
-    if ( sym.get_text_convert() == TOUPPER)
-    {
-	text = text.toUpper();
-    }
-    else if ( sym.get_text_convert() == TOLOWER)
-    {
-	text = text.toLower();
-    }
-    
-    std::string filename = path_processor_type::evaluate( *sym.get_filename(), feature);
-    boost::optional<mapnik::image_ptr> data = mapnik::image_cache::instance()->find(filename,true);
-    
-    if (text.length() > 0 && data)
-    {
-	face_set_ptr faces;
-
-	if (sym.get_fontset().size() > 0)
-	{
-            faces = font_manager_.get_face_set(sym.get_fontset());
-	}
-	else
-	{
-            faces = font_manager_.get_face_set(sym.get_face_name());
-	}
-
-	if (faces->size() > 0)
-	{
-            text_renderer<T> ren(pixmap_, faces);
-
-            ren.set_pixel_size(sym.get_text_size());
-            ren.set_fill(sym.get_fill());
-            ren.set_halo_fill(sym.get_halo_fill());
-            ren.set_halo_radius(sym.get_halo_radius());
-
-            placement_finder<label_collision_detector4> finder(detector_);
-
-            string_info info(text);
-
-            faces->get_string_info(info);
 
 
-            int w = (*data)->width();
-            int h = (*data)->height();
 
-            unsigned num_geom = feature.num_geometries();
-            for (unsigned i=0;i<num_geom;++i)
-            {
-		geometry2d const& geom = feature.get_geometry(i);
-		if (geom.num_points() > 0 )
-		{
-		    path_type path(t_,geom,prj_trans);
-
-		    label_placement_enum how_placed = sym.get_label_placement();
-		    if (how_placed == POINT_PLACEMENT || how_placed == VERTEX_PLACEMENT)
-		    {
-			// for every vertex, try and place a shield/text
-			geom.rewind(0);
-			for( unsigned jj = 0; jj < geom.num_points(); jj++ )
-			{
-			    double label_x;
-			    double label_y;
-			    double z=0.0;
-			    placement text_placement(info, sym, w, h, false);
-			    text_placement.avoid_edges = sym.get_avoid_edges();
-			    text_placement.allow_overlap = sym.get_allow_overlap();
-			    if( how_placed == VERTEX_PLACEMENT )
-				geom.vertex(&label_x,&label_y);  // by vertex
-			    else
-				geom.label_position(&label_x, &label_y);  // by middle of line or by point
-			    prj_trans.backward(label_x,label_y, z);
-			    t_.forward(&label_x,&label_y);
-
-			    finder.find_point_placement( text_placement,label_x,label_y,0.0,sym.get_vertical_alignment(),sym.get_line_spacing(),
-							 sym.get_character_spacing(),sym.get_horizontal_alignment(),sym.get_justify_alignment() );
-
-			    // check to see if image overlaps anything too, there is only ever 1 placement found for points and verticies
-			    if( text_placement.placements.size() > 0)
-			    {
-				double x = text_placement.placements[0].starting_x;
-				double y = text_placement.placements[0].starting_y;
-				int px;
-				int py;
-				box2d<double> label_ext;
-
-				if( !sym.get_unlock_image() )
-				{  // center image at text center position
-				    // remove displacement from image label
-				    position pos = sym.get_displacement();
-				    double lx = x - boost::get<0>(pos);
-				    double ly = y - boost::get<1>(pos);
-				    px=int(floor(lx - (0.5 * w))) ;
-				    py=int(floor(ly - (0.5 * h))) ;
-				    label_ext.init( floor(lx - 0.5 * w), floor(ly - 0.5 * h), ceil (lx + 0.5 * w), ceil (ly + 0.5 * h) );
-				}
-				else
-				{  // center image at reference location
-				    px=int(floor(label_x - 0.5 * w));
-				    py=int(floor(label_y - 0.5 * h));
-				    label_ext.init( floor(label_x - 0.5 * w), floor(label_y - 0.5 * h), ceil (label_x + 0.5 * w), ceil (label_y + 0.5 * h));
-				}
-
-				if ( sym.get_allow_overlap() || detector_.has_placement(label_ext) )
-				{
-				    //pixmap_.set_rectangle_alpha(px,py,*data);
-				    pixmap_.set_rectangle_alpha2(*(*data),px,py,float(sym.get_opacity()));
-				    box2d<double> dim = ren.prepare_glyphs(&text_placement.placements[0]);
-				    ren.render(x,y);
-				    detector_.insert(label_ext);
-				    finder.update_detector(text_placement);
-				}
-			    }
-			}
-		    }
-
-		    else if (geom.num_points() > 1 && sym.get_label_placement() == LINE_PLACEMENT)
-		    {
-			placement text_placement(info, sym, w, h, true);
-			text_placement.avoid_edges = sym.get_avoid_edges();
-			finder.find_point_placements<path_type>(text_placement,path);
-
-			for (unsigned int ii = 0; ii < text_placement.placements.size(); ++ ii)
-			{
-			    int w = (*data)->width();
-			    int h = (*data)->height();
-			    double x = text_placement.placements[ii].starting_x;
-			    double y = text_placement.placements[ii].starting_y;
-			 
-			    int px=int(x - (w/2));
-			    int py=int(y - (h/2));
-			 
-			    pixmap_.set_rectangle_alpha(px,py,*(*data));
-			 
-			    box2d<double> dim = ren.prepare_glyphs(&text_placement.placements[ii]);
-			    ren.render(x,y);
-			}
-			finder.update_detector(text_placement);
-		    }
-		}
-            }
-	}
-    }
-}
 
 template <typename T>
 void  agg_renderer<T>::process(line_pattern_symbolizer const& sym,
@@ -812,80 +602,6 @@ void agg_renderer<T>::process(raster_symbolizer const& sym,
     }
 }
 
-template <typename T>
-void agg_renderer<T>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
-			      Feature const& feature,
-			      proj_transform const& prj_trans)
-{
-    typedef coord_transform2<CoordTransform,geometry2d> path_type;
-    typedef agg::pixfmt_rgba32 pixfmt;
-    typedef agg::renderer_base<pixfmt> renderer_base;
-    typedef agg::renderer_scanline_aa_solid<renderer_base> renderer_solid;
-
-    bool svg_marker;
-    arrow arrow_;
-    box2d<double> extent;
-    boost::optional<path_ptr> marker;
-
-    ras_ptr->reset();
-    ras_ptr->gamma(agg::gamma_linear());
-    agg::scanline_u8 sl;
-    agg::rendering_buffer buf(pixmap_.raw_data(), width_, height_, width_ * 4);
-    pixfmt pixf(buf);
-    renderer_base renb(pixf);
-    renderer_solid ren(renb);
-
-    color const& fill_ = sym.get_fill();
-    unsigned r = fill_.red();
-    unsigned g = fill_.green();
-    unsigned b = fill_.blue();
-    unsigned a = fill_.alpha();
-
-
-    for (unsigned i=0; i<feature.num_geometries(); ++i)
-    {
-        geometry2d const& geom = feature.get_geometry(i);
-        if (geom.num_points() <= 1) continue;
-
-        svg_marker = false;
-        extent = arrow_.extent();        
-
-        std::string filename = path_processor_type::evaluate(*sym.get_filename(), feature);
-
-        if (!filename.empty())
-        {
-            marker = mapnik::marker_cache::instance()->find(filename, true);
-            if (marker && *marker)
-            {
-                svg_marker = true;
-                double x1, y1, x2, y2;
-                (*marker)->bounding_rect(&x1, &y1, &x2, &y2);
-                extent.init(x1, y1, x2, y2);
-            }
-        }
-
-        path_type path(t_,geom,prj_trans);
-        markers_placement<path_type, label_collision_detector4> placement(path, extent, detector_, sym.get_spacing(), sym.get_max_error(), sym.get_allow_overlap());
-
-        double x, y, angle;
-        
-        while (placement.get_point(&x, &y, &angle))
-        {
-            agg::trans_affine matrix = agg::trans_affine_rotation(angle) * agg::trans_affine_translation(x, y);
-            if (svg_marker)
-            {
-                (*marker)->render(*ras_ptr, sl, ren, matrix, renb.clip_box(), 1.0);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                agg::conv_transform<arrow, agg::trans_affine> trans(arrow_, matrix);
-                ras_ptr->add_path(trans);
-                ren.color(agg::rgba8(r, g, b, a));
-                agg::render_scanlines(*ras_ptr, sl, ren);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
 
 template <typename T>
 void agg_renderer<T>::process(text_symbolizer const& sym,