diff --git a/lib/galaxy/app.py b/lib/galaxy/app.py
index 555873824b6..1e48845314d 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/app.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/app.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from galaxy.managers.collections import DatasetCollectionManager
 from galaxy.managers.folders import FolderManager
 from galaxy.managers.histories import HistoryManager
 from galaxy.managers.libraries import LibraryManager
-from galaxy.managers.tags import GalaxyTagManager
+from galaxy.model.tags import GalaxyTagHandler
 from galaxy.queue_worker import GalaxyQueueWorker
 from galaxy.tools.cache import (
     ToolCache,
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class UniverseApplication(config.ConfiguresGalaxyMixin):
         # Security helper
         self._configure_security()
         # Tag handler
-        self.tag_handler = GalaxyTagManager(self.model.context)
+        self.tag_handler = GalaxyTagHandler(self.model.context)
         self.dataset_collections_service = DatasetCollectionManager(self)
         self.history_manager = HistoryManager(self)
         self.dependency_resolvers_view = DependencyResolversView(self)
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/managers/collections.py b/lib/galaxy/managers/collections.py
index 4aa717461f6..01eb50aec4e 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/managers/collections.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/managers/collections.py
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ from galaxy.managers import (
     hdas,
     histories,
     lddas,
-    tags
 )
 from galaxy.managers.collections_util import validate_input_element_identifiers
+from galaxy.model import tags
 from galaxy.util import (
     odict,
     validation
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class DatasetCollectionManager(object):
 
         self.hda_manager = hdas.HDAManager(app)
         self.history_manager = histories.HistoryManager(app)
-        self.tag_manager = tags.GalaxyTagManager(app.model.context)
+        self.tag_handler = tags.GalaxyTagHandler(app.model.context)
         self.ldda_manager = lddas.LDDAManager(app)
 
     def precreate_dataset_collection_instance(self, trans, parent, name, structure, implicit_inputs=None, implicit_output_name=None, tags=None):
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class DatasetCollectionManager(object):
         # values.
         if isinstance(tags, list):
             assert implicit_inputs is None, implicit_inputs
-            tags = self.tag_manager.add_tags_from_list(trans.user, dataset_collection_instance, tags)
+            tags = self.tag_handler.add_tags_from_list(trans.user, dataset_collection_instance, tags)
         else:
             tags = self._append_tags(dataset_collection_instance, implicit_inputs, tags)
         return self.__persist(dataset_collection_instance, flush=flush)
@@ -284,8 +284,8 @@ class DatasetCollectionManager(object):
         if copy_elements:
             copy_kwds["element_destination"] = parent
         new_hdca = source_hdca.copy(**copy_kwds)
-        tags_str = self.tag_manager.get_tags_str(source_hdca.tags)
-        self.tag_manager.apply_item_tags(trans.get_user(), new_hdca, tags_str)
+        tags_str = self.tag_handler.get_tags_str(source_hdca.tags)
+        self.tag_handler.apply_item_tags(trans.get_user(), new_hdca, tags_str)
         parent.add_dataset_collection(new_hdca)
         trans.sa_session.add(new_hdca)
         trans.sa_session.flush()
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ class DatasetCollectionManager(object):
             changed['annotation'] = new_data['annotation']
         if 'tags' in new_data.keys() and trans.get_user():
             # set_tags_from_list will flush on its own, no need to add to 'changed' here and incur a second flush.
-            self.tag_manager.set_tags_from_list(trans.get_user(), dataset_collection_instance, new_data['tags'])
+            self.tag_handler.set_tags_from_list(trans.get_user(), dataset_collection_instance, new_data['tags'])
 
         if changed.keys():
             trans.sa_session.flush()
@@ -431,11 +431,11 @@ class DatasetCollectionManager(object):
                 element = hda
             if hide_source_items and self.hda_manager.get_owned(hda.id, user=trans.user, current_history=trans.history):
                 hda.visible = False
-            self.tag_manager.apply_item_tags(user=trans.user, item=element, tags_str=tag_str)
+            self.tag_handler.apply_item_tags(user=trans.user, item=element, tags_str=tag_str)
         elif src_type == 'ldda':
             element = self.ldda_manager.get(trans, encoded_id, check_accessible=True)
             element = element.to_history_dataset_association(trans.history, add_to_history=True)
-            self.tag_manager.apply_item_tags(user=trans.user, item=element, tags_str=tag_str)
+            self.tag_handler.apply_item_tags(user=trans.user, item=element, tags_str=tag_str)
         elif src_type == 'hdca':
             # TODO: Option to copy? Force copy? Copy or allow if not owned?
             element = self.__get_history_collection_instance(trans, encoded_id).collection
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/managers/library_datasets.py b/lib/galaxy/managers/library_datasets.py
index 4b740c16f93..6d5eacf2567 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/managers/library_datasets.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/managers/library_datasets.py
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ from galaxy.exceptions import (
 )
 from galaxy.managers import (
     datasets,
-    tags
 )
+from galaxy.model import tags
 from galaxy.util import validation
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class LibraryDatasetsManager(datasets.DatasetAssociationManager):
 
     def __init__(self, app):
         self.app = app
-        self.tag_manager = tags.GalaxyTagManager(app.model.context)
+        self.tag_handler = tags.GalaxyTagHandler(app.model.context)
 
     def get(self, trans, decoded_library_dataset_id, check_accessible=True):
         """
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class LibraryDatasetsManager(datasets.DatasetAssociationManager):
         rval['date_uploaded'] = ldda.create_time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %I:%M %p")
         rval['can_user_modify'] = trans.user_is_admin or trans.app.security_agent.can_modify_library_item(current_user_roles, ld)
         rval['is_unrestricted'] = trans.app.security_agent.dataset_is_public(ldda.dataset)
-        rval['tags'] = self.tag_manager.get_tags_str(ldda.tags)
+        rval['tags'] = self.tag_handler.get_tags_str(ldda.tags)
 
         #  Manage dataset permission is always attached to the dataset itself, not the the ld or ldda to maintain consistency
         rval['can_user_manage'] = trans.user_is_admin or trans.app.security_agent.can_manage_dataset(current_user_roles, ldda.dataset)
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/managers/taggable.py b/lib/galaxy/managers/taggable.py
index dc4508abefa..794ab41008d 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/managers/taggable.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/managers/taggable.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class TaggableManagerMixin(object):
     #: class of TagAssociation (e.g. HistoryTagAssociation)
     tag_assoc = None
 
-    # TODO: most of this can be done by delegating to the TagManager?
+    # TODO: most of this can be done by delegating to the GalaxyTagHandler?
     def get_tags(self, item):
         """
         Return a list of tag strings.
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class TaggableManagerMixin(object):
         return _tags_from_strings(item, self.app.tag_handler, new_tags, user=user)
 
     # def tags_by_user( self, user, **kwargs ):
-    # TODO: here or TagManager
+    # TODO: here or GalaxyTagHandler
     #    pass
 
 
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/model/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/model/__init__.py
index db541be9788..ca328599033 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/model/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/model/__init__.py
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ from sqlalchemy.schema import UniqueConstraint
 
 import galaxy.model.metadata
 import galaxy.model.orm.now
+import galaxy.model.tags
 import galaxy.security.passwords
 import galaxy.util
-from galaxy.managers import tags
 from galaxy.model.item_attrs import UsesAnnotations
 from galaxy.model.util import pgcalc
 from galaxy.security import get_permitted_actions
@@ -3145,7 +3145,7 @@ class LibraryDatasetDatasetAssociation(DatasetInstance, HasName, RepresentById):
                                         copied_from_library_dataset_dataset_association=self,
                                         history=target_history)
 
-        tag_manager = tags.GalaxyTagManager(sa_session)
+        tag_manager = galaxy.model.tags.GalaxyTagHandler(sa_session)
         src_ldda_tags = tag_manager.get_tags_str(self.tags)
         tag_manager.apply_item_tags(user=self.user, item=hda, tags_str=src_ldda_tags)
 
@@ -3175,7 +3175,7 @@ class LibraryDatasetDatasetAssociation(DatasetInstance, HasName, RepresentById):
                                                 copied_from_library_dataset_dataset_association=self,
                                                 folder=target_folder)
 
-        tag_manager = tags.GalaxyTagManager(sa_session)
+        tag_manager = galaxy.model.tags.GalaxyTagHandler(sa_session)
         src_ldda_tags = tag_manager.get_tags_str(self.tags)
         tag_manager.apply_item_tags(user=self.user, item=ldda, tags_str=src_ldda_tags)
 
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/managers/tags.py b/lib/galaxy/model/tags.py
similarity index 98%
rename from lib/galaxy/managers/tags.py
rename to lib/galaxy/model/tags.py
index 36b58bfe16e..952b21652c2 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/managers/tags.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/model/tags.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class ItemTagAssocInfo(object):
         self.item_id_col = item_id_col
 
 
-class TagManager(object):
+class TagHandler(object):
     """
     Manages CRUD operations related to tagging objects.
     """
@@ -319,10 +319,10 @@ class TagManager(object):
         return name_value_pair
 
 
-class GalaxyTagManager(TagManager):
+class GalaxyTagHandler(TagHandler):
     def __init__(self, sa_session):
         from galaxy import model
-        TagManager.__init__(self, sa_session)
+        TagHandler.__init__(self, sa_session)
         self.item_tag_assoc_info["History"] = ItemTagAssocInfo(model.History,
                                                                model.HistoryTagAssociation,
                                                                model.HistoryTagAssociation.table.c.history_id)
@@ -349,6 +349,6 @@ class GalaxyTagManager(TagManager):
                                                                      model.VisualizationTagAssociation.table.c.visualization_id)
 
 
-class CommunityTagManager(TagManager):
+class CommunityTagHandler(TagHandler):
     def __init__(self, sa_session):
-        TagManager.__init__(self, sa_session)
+        TagHandler.__init__(self, sa_session)
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py
index 30cc55ed3f4..39802d3deff 100755
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ from galaxy import (
     model
 )
 from galaxy.managers.jobs import JobSearch
-from galaxy.managers.tags import GalaxyTagManager
 from galaxy.metadata import get_metadata_compute_strategy
+from galaxy.model.tags import GalaxyTagHandler
 from galaxy.queue_worker import send_control_task
 from galaxy.tools.actions import DefaultToolAction
 from galaxy.tools.actions.data_manager import DataManagerToolAction
@@ -2824,7 +2824,7 @@ class TagFromFileTool(DatabaseOperationTool):
         how = incoming['how']
         new_tags_dataset_assoc = incoming["tags"]
         new_elements = odict()
-        tags_manager = GalaxyTagManager(trans.app.model.context)
+        tags_manager = GalaxyTagHandler(trans.app.model.context)
         new_datasets = []
 
         def add_copied_value_to_new_elements(new_tags_dict, dce):
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/actions/upload_common.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/actions/upload_common.py
index 839c5a42f73..1604d9ac4a4 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/actions/upload_common.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/actions/upload_common.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from webob.compat import cgi_FieldStorage
 
 from galaxy import datatypes, util
 from galaxy.exceptions import ConfigDoesNotAllowException, ObjectInvalid
-from galaxy.managers import tags
+from galaxy.model import tags
 from galaxy.util import unicodify
 from galaxy.util.odict import odict
 
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def __new_library_upload(trans, cntrller, uploaded_dataset, library_bunch, state
                                                             sa_session=trans.sa_session)
     if uploaded_dataset.get('tag_using_filenames', False):
         tag_from_filename = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(uploaded_dataset.name))[0]
-        tag_manager = tags.GalaxyTagManager(trans.sa_session)
+        tag_manager = tags.GalaxyTagHandler(trans.sa_session)
         tag_manager.apply_item_tag(item=ldda, user=trans.user, name='name', value=tag_from_filename)
 
     trans.sa_session.add(ldda)
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py b/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
index 6640ca154cc..5dcddd403f2 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ from galaxy.managers import (
     api_keys,
     base as managers_base,
     configuration,
-    tags,
     users,
     workflows
 )
@@ -32,7 +31,8 @@ from galaxy.model import (
     ExtendedMetadata,
     ExtendedMetadataIndex,
     HistoryDatasetAssociation,
-    LibraryDatasetDatasetAssociation
+    LibraryDatasetDatasetAssociation,
+    tags,
 )
 from galaxy.model.item_attrs import UsesAnnotations
 from galaxy.util.dictifiable import Dictifiable
@@ -1551,8 +1551,8 @@ class UsesTagsMixin(SharableItemSecurityMixin):
         return self.get_tag_handler(trans)._get_item_tag_assoc(user, tagged_item, tag_name)
 
     def set_tags_from_list(self, trans, item, new_tags_list, user=None):
-        tags_manager = tags.GalaxyTagManager(trans.app.model.context)
-        return tags_manager.set_tags_from_list(user, item, new_tags_list)
+        tag_handler = tags.GalaxyTagHandler(trans.app.model.context)
+        return tag_handler.set_tags_from_list(user, item, new_tags_list)
 
     def get_user_tags_used(self, trans, user=None):
         """
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/tool_shed/app.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/tool_shed/app.py
index 587b86965f8..332dc82ea64 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/tool_shed/app.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/tool_shed/app.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import tool_shed.repository_registry
 import tool_shed.repository_types.registry
 from galaxy import tools
 from galaxy.config import configure_logging
-from galaxy.managers.tags import CommunityTagManager
+from galaxy.model.tags import CommunityTagHandler
 from galaxy.util.dbkeys import GenomeBuilds
 from galaxy.web import security
 from galaxy.web.stack import application_stack_instance
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class UniverseApplication(object):
         # Initialize the Tool Shed security helper.
         self.security = security.SecurityHelper(id_secret=self.config.id_secret)
         # initialize the Tool Shed tag handler.
-        self.tag_handler = CommunityTagManager(self)
+        self.tag_handler = CommunityTagHandler(self)
         # Initialize the Tool Shed tool data tables.  Never pass a configuration file here
         # because the Tool Shed should always have an empty dictionary!
         self.tool_data_tables = galaxy.tools.data.ToolDataTableManager(self.config.tool_data_path)
diff --git a/test/unit/managers/test_TagManager.py b/test/unit/managers/test_TagHandler.py
similarity index 75%
rename from test/unit/managers/test_TagManager.py
rename to test/unit/managers/test_TagHandler.py
index a11d7b0dd75..31c158d2a00 100644
--- a/test/unit/managers/test_TagManager.py
+++ b/test/unit/managers/test_TagHandler.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from galaxy.managers import hdas
 from galaxy.managers.datasets import DatasetManager
 from galaxy.managers.histories import HistoryManager
-from galaxy.managers.tags import GalaxyTagManager
+from galaxy.model.tags import GalaxyTagHandler
 from galaxy.util import unicodify
 from .base import BaseTestCase
 
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ user2_data = dict(email='user2@user2.user2', username='user2', password=default_
 
 
 # =============================================================================
-class TagManagerTestCase(BaseTestCase):
+class TagHandlerTestCase(BaseTestCase):
 
     def set_up_managers(self):
-        super(TagManagerTestCase, self).set_up_managers()
+        super(TagHandlerTestCase, self).set_up_managers()
         self.hda_manager = hdas.HDAManager(self.app)
         self.history_manager = HistoryManager(self.app)
         self.dataset_manager = DatasetManager(self.app)
-        self.tag_manager = GalaxyTagManager(self.trans.sa_session)
+        self.tag_handler = GalaxyTagHandler(self.trans.sa_session)
         self.user = self.user_manager.create(**user2_data)
 
     def _create_vanilla_hda(self, user=None):
@@ -59,49 +59,49 @@ class TagManagerTestCase(BaseTestCase):
         ]
         for tag_string, expected_tag in zip(tag_strings, expected_tags):
             hda = self._create_vanilla_hda()
-            self.tag_manager.apply_item_tags(user=self.user, item=hda, tags_str=tag_string)
+            self.tag_handler.apply_item_tags(user=self.user, item=hda, tags_str=tag_string)
             self._check_tag_list(hda.tags, expected_tag)
 
     def test_set_tag_from_list(self):
         hda = self._create_vanilla_hda()
         tags = ['tag1', 'tag2']
-        self.tag_manager.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
+        self.tag_handler.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
         self._check_tag_list(hda.tags, tags)
         # Setting tags should erase previous tags
-        self.tag_manager.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, ['tag1'])
+        self.tag_handler.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, ['tag1'])
         self._check_tag_list(hda.tags, expected_tags=['tag1'])
 
     def test_add_tag_from_list(self):
         hda = self._create_vanilla_hda()
         tags = ['tag1', 'tag2']
-        self.tag_manager.add_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
+        self.tag_handler.add_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
         self._check_tag_list(tags=hda.tags, expected_tags=tags)
         # Adding tags should keep previous tags
-        self.tag_manager.add_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, ['tag3'])
+        self.tag_handler.add_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, ['tag3'])
         self._check_tag_list(hda.tags, expected_tags=['tag1', 'tag2', 'tag3'])
 
     def test_remove_tag_from_list(self):
         hda = self._create_vanilla_hda()
         tags = ['tag1', 'tag2']
-        self.tag_manager.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
+        self.tag_handler.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
         self._check_tag_list(hda.tags, tags)
-        self.tag_manager.remove_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, ['tag1'])
+        self.tag_handler.remove_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, ['tag1'])
         self._check_tag_list(hda.tags, ['tag2'])
 
     def test_delete_item_tags(self):
         hda = self._create_vanilla_hda()
         tags = ['tag1']
-        self.tag_manager.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
-        self.tag_manager.delete_item_tags(user=self.user, item=hda)
+        self.tag_handler.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
+        self.tag_handler.delete_item_tags(user=self.user, item=hda)
         self.assertEqual(hda.tags, [])
 
     def test_item_has_tag(self):
         hda = self._create_vanilla_hda()
         tags = ['tag1']
-        self.tag_manager.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
-        self.assertTrue(self.tag_manager.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag='tag1'))
+        self.tag_handler.set_tags_from_list(self.user, hda, tags)
+        self.assertTrue(self.tag_handler.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag='tag1'))
         # ItemTagAssociation
-        self.assertTrue(self.tag_manager.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag=hda.tags[0]))
+        self.assertTrue(self.tag_handler.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag=hda.tags[0]))
         # Tag
-        self.assertTrue(self.tag_manager.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag=hda.tags[0].tag))
-        self.assertFalse(self.tag_manager.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag='tag2'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.tag_handler.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag=hda.tags[0].tag))
+        self.assertFalse(self.tag_handler.item_has_tag(self.user, item=hda, tag='tag2'))
diff --git a/test/unit/unittest_utils/galaxy_mock.py b/test/unit/unittest_utils/galaxy_mock.py
index 92ff960b8f7..04ee766188f 100644
--- a/test/unit/unittest_utils/galaxy_mock.py
+++ b/test/unit/unittest_utils/galaxy_mock.py
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ from galaxy import (
 from galaxy.auth import AuthManager
 from galaxy.datatypes import registry
 from galaxy.jobs.manager import NoopManager
-from galaxy.managers import tags
-from galaxy.model import mapping
+from galaxy.model import mapping, tags
 from galaxy.tools.deps.containers import NullContainerFinder
 from galaxy.util.bunch import Bunch
 from galaxy.util.dbkeys import GenomeBuilds