diff --git a/include/verilated_fst_c.cpp b/include/verilated_fst_c.cpp
index 68431db71..3e1b27744 100644
--- a/include/verilated_fst_c.cpp
+++ b/include/verilated_fst_c.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ static_assert(static_cast<int>(FST_ST_VCD_PROGRAM) == static_cast<int>(VLT_TRACE
 // Specialization of the generics for this trace format
 
 #define VL_DERIVED_T VerilatedFst
-#include "verilated_trace_imp.cpp"
+#include "verilated_trace_imp.h"
 #undef VL_DERIVED_T
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ void VerilatedFst::declDouble(uint32_t code, const char* name, int dtypenum, fst
 }
 
 // Note: emit* are only ever called from one place (full* in
-// verilated_trace_imp.cpp, which is included in this file at the top),
+// verilated_trace_imp.h, which is included in this file at the top),
 // so always inline them.
 
 VL_ATTR_ALWINLINE
diff --git a/include/verilated_trace_imp.cpp b/include/verilated_trace_imp.h
similarity index 99%
rename from include/verilated_trace_imp.cpp
rename to include/verilated_trace_imp.h
index dac31ddac..ed0503fcb 100644
--- a/include/verilated_trace_imp.cpp
+++ b/include/verilated_trace_imp.h
@@ -10,15 +10,11 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
 //
 //=============================================================================
-///
-/// \file
-/// \brief Verilated common-format tracing implementation code
-///
-/// This file must be compiled and linked against all Verilated objects
-/// that use --trace.
-///
-/// Use "verilator --trace" to add this to the Makefile for the linker.
-///
+//
+// Verilated tracing implementation code template common to all formats.
+// This file is included by the format specific implementations and
+// should not be used otherwise.
+//
 //=============================================================================
 
 // clang-format off
diff --git a/include/verilated_vcd_c.cpp b/include/verilated_vcd_c.cpp
index d2417bc3e..8e0008e3f 100644
--- a/include/verilated_vcd_c.cpp
+++ b/include/verilated_vcd_c.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ constexpr unsigned VL_TRACE_SUFFIX_ENTRY_SIZE = 8;  // Size of a suffix entry
 // Specialization of the generics for this trace format
 
 #define VL_DERIVED_T VerilatedVcd
-#include "verilated_trace_imp.cpp"
+#include "verilated_trace_imp.h"
 #undef VL_DERIVED_T
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ void VerilatedVcd::finishLine(uint32_t code, char* writep) {
 // emit* trace routines
 
 // Note: emit* are only ever called from one place (full* in
-// verilated_trace_imp.cpp, which is included in this file at the top),
+// verilated_trace_imp.h, which is included in this file at the top),
 // so always inline them.
 
 VL_ATTR_ALWINLINE