diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_declarator_converter.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_declarator_converter.cpp
index 456547e3d05..632d56e70b6 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_declarator_converter.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_declarator_converter.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,9 @@ symbolt &cpp_declarator_convertert::convert(
       // adjust type if it's a non-static member function
       if(final_type.id()==ID_code)
         cpp_typecheck.add_this_to_method_type(
-          scope->identifier, final_type, method_qualifier);
+          cpp_typecheck.lookup(scope->identifier),
+          to_code_type(final_type),
+          method_qualifier);
 
       get_final_identifier();
 
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_exception_id.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_exception_id.cpp
index 7899d03f999..74ade5396fd 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_exception_id.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_exception_id.cpp
@@ -38,11 +38,19 @@ void cpp_exception_list_rec(
       cpp_exception_list_rec(src.subtype(), ns, "_ptr"+suffix, dest);
     }
   }
+  else if(src.id() == ID_union_tag)
+  {
+    cpp_exception_list_rec(ns.follow_tag(to_union_tag_type(src)), ns, suffix, dest);
+  }
   else if(src.id()==ID_union)
   {
     // just get tag
     dest.push_back("union_"+src.get_string(ID_tag));
   }
+  else if(src.id() == ID_struct_tag)
+  {
+    cpp_exception_list_rec(ns.follow_tag(to_struct_tag_type(src)), ns, suffix, dest);
+  }
   else if(src.id()==ID_struct)
   {
     // just get tag
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_instantiate_template.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_instantiate_template.cpp
index cfaf97d7a98..2fdbe6331ee 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_instantiate_template.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_instantiate_template.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ std::string cpp_typecheckt::template_suffix(
       const typet &type=expr.type();
       if(type.id() == ID_symbol_type)
         result += id2string(to_symbol_type(type).get_identifier());
+      else if(type.id() == ID_struct_tag ||
+              type.id() == ID_union_tag)
+        result += id2string(to_tag_type(type).get_identifier());
       else
         result+=cpp_type2name(type);
     }
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_is_pod.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_is_pod.cpp
index 7d17a77c9e5..c3f68e0af0a 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_is_pod.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_is_pod.cpp
@@ -82,6 +82,13 @@ bool cpp_typecheckt::cpp_is_pod(const typet &type) const
     DATA_INVARIANT(symb.is_type, "type symbol is a type");
     return cpp_is_pod(symb.type);
   }
+  else if(type.id() == ID_struct_tag ||
+          type.id() == ID_union_tag)
+  {
+    const symbolt &symb = lookup(to_tag_type(type));
+    DATA_INVARIANT(symb.is_type, "tag symbol is a type");
+    return cpp_is_pod(symb.type);
+  }
 
   // everything else is POD
   return true;
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h
index 9fbd7268dbf..51b19790245 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck.h
@@ -395,15 +395,15 @@ class cpp_typecheckt:public c_typecheck_baset
   static bool has_auto(const typet &type);
 
   void typecheck_member_function(
-    const irep_idt &compound_identifier,
+    const symbolt &compound_symbol,
     struct_typet::componentt &component,
     irept &initializers,
     const typet &method_qualifier,
     exprt &value);
 
   void add_this_to_method_type(
-    const irep_idt &compound_identifier,
-    typet &method_type,
+    const symbolt &compound_symbol,
+    code_typet &method_type,
     const typet &method_qualifier);
 
   // for function overloading
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_bases.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_bases.cpp
index 4ad96ef08b8..bf282416127 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_bases.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_bases.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_compound_bases(struct_typet &type)
     // elaborate any class template instances given as bases
     elaborate_class_template(base_symbol_expr.type());
 
+    if(base_symbol_expr.type().id() == ID_struct_tag)
+      base_symbol_expr.type().id(ID_symbol_type);
+
     if(base_symbol_expr.type().id() != ID_symbol_type)
     {
       error().source_location=name.source_location();
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp
index 4d29ce97ba9..e082571be98 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp
@@ -273,10 +273,10 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_compound_type(
   }
   else
   {
-    // create type symbol
-    symbol_typet symbol_type(symbol_name);
-    qualifiers.write(symbol_type);
-    type.swap(symbol_type);
+    // create struct tag
+    struct_tag_typet tag_type(symbol_name);
+    qualifiers.write(tag_type);
+    type.swap(tag_type);
   }
 }
 
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_compound_declarator(
     if(!is_virtual)
     {
       typecheck_member_function(
-        symbol.name, component, initializers,
+        symbol, component, initializers,
         method_qualifier, value);
 
       if(!value.is_nil() && !is_static)
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_compound_declarator(
       }
 
       typecheck_member_function(
-        symbol.name,
+        symbol,
         component,
         initializers,
         method_qualifier,
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_compound_declarator(
         // add a virtual-table pointer
         struct_typet::componentt compo(
           id2string(symbol.name) + "::@vtable_pointer",
-          pointer_type(symbol_typet(vt_name)));
+          pointer_type(struct_tag_typet(vt_name)));
         compo.set_base_name("@vtable_pointer");
         compo.set_pretty_name(id2string(symbol.base_name) + "@vtable_pointer");
         compo.set(ID_is_vtptr, true);
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::move_member_initializers(
 }
 
 void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_member_function(
-  const irep_idt &compound_identifier,
+  const symbolt &compound_symbol,
   struct_typet::componentt &component,
   irept &initializers,
   const typet &method_qualifier,
@@ -1283,10 +1283,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_member_function(
   }
   else
   {
-    add_this_to_method_type(
-      compound_identifier,
-      type,
-      method_qualifier);
+    add_this_to_method_type(compound_symbol, type, method_qualifier);
   }
 
   if(value.id() == ID_cpp_not_typechecked && value.has_operands())
@@ -1344,11 +1341,11 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_member_function(
 }
 
 void cpp_typecheckt::add_this_to_method_type(
-  const irep_idt &compound_symbol,
-  typet &type,
+  const symbolt &compound_symbol,
+  code_typet &type,
   const typet &method_qualifier)
 {
-  code_typet::parameterst &parameters=to_code_type(type).parameters();
+  code_typet::parameterst &parameters = type.parameters();
 
   parameters.insert(
     parameters.begin(), code_typet::parametert());
@@ -1359,7 +1356,12 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::add_this_to_method_type(
   parameter.set_base_name(ID_this);
   parameter.set_this();
 
-  typet subtype=symbol_typet(compound_symbol);
+  typet subtype;
+
+  if(compound_symbol.type.id() == ID_union)
+    subtype = union_tag_typet(compound_symbol.name);
+  else
+    subtype = struct_tag_typet(compound_symbol.name);
 
   if(has_const(method_qualifier))
     subtype.set(ID_C_constant, true);
@@ -1455,7 +1457,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::convert_anon_struct_union_member(
   if(struct_union_symbol.type.id() == ID_union)
     compound_type = union_tag_typet(struct_union_symbol.name);
   else
-    compound_type = symbol_typet(struct_union_symbol.name);
+    compound_type = struct_tag_typet(struct_union_symbol.name);
 
   struct_typet::componentt component(identifier, compound_type);
   component.set_access(access);
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp
index 4b921d77c9d..3e171162d4a 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_expr.cpp
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_expr_main(exprt &expr)
   {
     // these appear to have type "struct _GUID"
     // and they are lvalues!
-    expr.type()=symbol_typet("tag-_GUID");
+    expr.type() = struct_tag_typet("tag-_GUID");
     follow(expr.type());
     expr.set(ID_C_lvalue, true);
   }
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_expr_address_of(exprt &expr)
     if(args.size() > 0 && args[0].get(ID_C_base_name)==ID_this)
     {
       // it's a pointer to member function
-      const symbol_typet symbol(code_type.get(ID_C_member_name));
+      const struct_tag_typet symbol(code_type.get(ID_C_member_name));
       expr.op0().type().add("to-member")=symbol;
 
       if(code_type.get_bool(ID_C_is_virtual))
@@ -980,11 +980,11 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_expr_explicit_constructor_call(exprt &expr)
   {
     assert(expr.type().id()==ID_struct);
 
-    symbol_typet symb(expr.type().get(ID_name));
-    symb.add_source_location()=expr.source_location();
+    struct_tag_typet tag(expr.type().get(ID_name));
+    tag.add_source_location() = expr.source_location();
 
     exprt e=expr;
-    new_temporary(e.source_location(), symb, e.operands(), expr);
+    new_temporary(e.source_location(), tag, e.operands(), expr);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_resolve.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_resolve.cpp
index a78d0c09357..9ac4d8756f7 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_resolve.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_resolve.cpp
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ void cpp_typecheck_resolvet::remove_duplicates(
       id = to_symbol_expr(old_id).get_identifier();
     else if(old_id.id() == ID_type && old_id.type().id() == ID_symbol_type)
       id = to_symbol_type(old_id.type()).get_identifier();
+    else if(old_id.id() == ID_type && old_id.type().id() == ID_struct_tag)
+      id = to_struct_tag_type(old_id.type()).get_identifier();
+    else if(old_id.id() == ID_type && old_id.type().id() == ID_union_tag)
+      id = to_union_tag_type(old_id.type()).get_identifier();
 
     if(id=="")
     {
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_virtual_table.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_virtual_table.cpp
index 78b3effc5cf..d47276ff323 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_virtual_table.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_virtual_table.cpp
@@ -74,14 +74,14 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::do_virtual_table(const symbolt &symbol)
     vt_symb_var.mode=ID_cpp;
     vt_symb_var.module=module;
     vt_symb_var.location=vt_symb_type.location;
-    vt_symb_var.type=symbol_typet(vt_symb_type.name);
+    vt_symb_var.type = struct_tag_typet(vt_symb_type.name);
     vt_symb_var.is_lvalue=true;
     vt_symb_var.is_static_lifetime=true;
 
     // do the values
     const struct_typet &vt_type=to_struct_type(vt_symb_type.type);
 
-    struct_exprt values(symbol_typet(vt_symb_type.name));
+    struct_exprt values(struct_tag_typet(vt_symb_type.name));
 
     for(const auto &compo : vt_type.components())
     {