diff --git a/layers/+lang/c-c++/README.org b/layers/+lang/c-c++/README.org
index 910c0af47..3dd907f26 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/c-c++/README.org
+++ b/layers/+lang/c-c++/README.org
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@
     - [[#clang-format][clang-format]]
     - [[#company-clang-and-flycheck][Company-clang and flycheck]]
   - [[#cmake-configuration][CMake configuration]]
+  - [[#rtags-configuration][RTags configuration]]
   - [[#enable-google-set-c-style][Enable google-set-c-style]]
 - [[#key-bindings][Key Bindings]]
   - [[#debugging-realgud][Debugging (realgud)]]
   - [[#formatting-clang-format][Formatting (clang-format)]]
+  - [[#rtags][RTags]]
 
 * Description
 This layer adds configuration for C/C++ language as well support for [[https://cmake.org/][CMake]]
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ scripts.
   company-clang (when =c-c++-enable-clang-support= is turned on), or
   company-ycmd (when =ycmd= layer is included).
 - Support for [[https://github.com/realgud/realgud][realgud]] debugger.
+- Support for [[https://github.com/Andersbakken/rtags][rtags]]
 - Support for CMake configure/build (with limited support for other build systems),
   automatic generation of =compile_commands.json= (compile flags), on-the-fly configuration
   of flycheck, company-clang and RTags (if installed) with [[https://github.com/atilaneves/cmake-ide][cmake-ide]] .
@@ -124,6 +127,15 @@ build your project with ~SPC c c~ key binding.
        (helm-make-arguments . "-j7"))))
 #+END_SRC
 
+** RTags configuration
+To enable support for =rtags=, set the layer variable
+=c-c++-enable-rtags-support= to =t= in your dotfile.
+
+#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
+  (setq-default dotspacemacs-configuration-layers
+    '((c-c++ :variables c-c++-enable-rtags-support t)))
+#+END_SRC
+
 ** Enable google-set-c-style
 If you have clang enabled with =clang-format= as described earlier in this page
 you may not have a lot of neeed for =google-set-c-style= if you are already
@@ -194,3 +206,37 @@ set that up like this:
 |-------------+---------------------------------|
 | ~SPC m = =~ | format current region or buffer |
 | ~SPC m = f~ | format current function         |
+
+** RTags
+
+| Key Binding | Description                     |
+|-------------+---------------------------------|
+| ~SPC m g .~ | find symbol at point            |
+| ~SPC m g ,~ | find references at point        |
+| ~SPC m g ;~ | find file                       |
+| ~SPC m g /~ | find all references at point    |
+| ~SPC m g [~ | location stack back             |
+| ~SPC m g ]~ | location stack forward          |
+| ~SPC m g >~ | c++ tags find symbol            |
+| ~SPC m g <~ | c++ tags find references        |
+| ~SPC m g B~ | show rtags buffer               |
+| ~SPC m g d~ | print dependencies              |
+| ~SPC m g D~ | diagnostics                     |
+| ~SPC m g e~ | reparse file                    |
+| ~SPC m g E~ | preprocess file                 |
+| ~SPC m g F~ | fixit                           |
+| ~SPC m g G~ | guess function at point         |
+| ~SPC m g h~ | print class hierarchy           |
+| ~SPC m g I~ | c++ tags imenu                  |
+| ~SPC m g L~ | copy and print current location |
+| ~SPC m g M~ | symbol info                     |
+| ~SPC m g O~ | goto offset                     |
+| ~SPC m g p~ | set current project             |
+| ~SPC m g R~ | rename symbol                   |
+| ~SPC m g s~ | print source arguments          |
+| ~SPC m g S~ | display summary                 |
+| ~SPC m g T~ | taglist                         |
+| ~SPC m g v~ | find virtuals at point          |
+| ~SPC m g V~ | print enum value at point       |
+| ~SPC m g X~ | fix fixit at point              |
+| ~SPC m g Y~ | cycle overlays on screen        |
diff --git a/layers/+lang/c-c++/config.el b/layers/+lang/c-c++/config.el
index 748a27905..19aacd245 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/c-c++/config.el
+++ b/layers/+lang/c-c++/config.el
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 (defvar c-c++-enable-rtags-support nil
   "If non nil Rtags related packages and configuration are enabled.")
 
+(defvar c-c++-enable-cmake-ide-support nil
+  "If non nil CMake related packages and configuration are enabled.")
+
 (defvar c-c++-enable-clang-format-on-save nil
   "If non-nil, automatically format code with ClangFormat on
   save. Clang support has to be enabled for this to work.")
diff --git a/layers/+lang/c-c++/funcs.el b/layers/+lang/c-c++/funcs.el
index bf6e83a60..49c68baab 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/c-c++/funcs.el
+++ b/layers/+lang/c-c++/funcs.el
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 ;;
 ;;; License: GPLv3
 
+
 ;; clang
 
 (defun spacemacs/clang-format-function (&optional style)
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ and the arguments for flyckeck-clang based on a project-specific text file."
                             (spacemacs//c-c++-get-standard-include-paths "c"))
                           idirafter-paths)))))
 
+
 ;; realgud
 
 (defun spacemacs//short-key-state (modeon)
@@ -137,3 +139,46 @@ and the arguments for flyckeck-clang based on a project-specific text file."
   (if modeon
       (evil-evilified-state)
     (evil-normal-state)))
+
+
+;; rtags
+
+(defun spacemacs/c-c++-use-rtags (&optional useFileManager)
+  (and (rtags-executable-find "rc")
+       (cond ((not (gtags-get-rootpath)) t)
+             ((and (not (eq major-mode 'c++-mode))
+                   (not (eq major-mode 'c-mode))) (rtags-has-filemanager))
+             (useFileManager (rtags-has-filemanager))
+             (t (rtags-is-indexed)))))
+
+(defun spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-symbol-at-point (&optional prefix)
+  (interactive "P")
+  (if (and (not (rtags-find-symbol-at-point prefix))
+           rtags-last-request-not-indexed)
+      (gtags-find-tag)))
+
+(defun spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-references-at-point (&optional prefix)
+  (interactive "P")
+  (if (and (not (rtags-find-references-at-point prefix))
+           rtags-last-request-not-indexed)
+      (gtags-find-rtag)))
+
+(defun spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-symbol ()
+  (interactive)
+  (call-interactively (if (spacemacs/c-c++-use-rtags)
+                          'rtags-find-symbol 'gtags-find-symbol)))
+
+(defun spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-references ()
+  (interactive)
+  (call-interactively (if (spacemacs/c-c++-use-rtags)
+                          'rtags-find-references 'gtags-find-rtag)))
+
+(defun spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-file ()
+  (interactive)
+  (call-interactively (if (spacemacs/c-c++-use-rtags t)
+                          'rtags-find-file 'gtags-find-file)))
+
+(defun spacemacs/c-c++-tags-imenu ()
+  (interactive)
+  (call-interactively (if (spacemacs/c-c++-use-rtags t)
+                          'rtags-imenu 'idomenu)))
diff --git a/layers/+lang/c-c++/layers.el b/layers/+lang/c-c++/layers.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c1ac76e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layers/+lang/c-c++/layers.el
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+;;; layers.el --- C/C++ layer layers File for Spacemacs
+;;
+;; Copyright (c) 2012-2018 Sylvain Benner & Contributors
+;;
+;; Author: Sylvain Benner <sylvain.benner@gmail.com>
+;; URL: https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs
+;;
+;; This file is not part of GNU Emacs.
+;;
+;;; License: GPLv3
+
+(configuration-layer/declare-layer 'gtags)
diff --git a/layers/+lang/c-c++/packages.el b/layers/+lang/c-c++/packages.el
index 25eb4a1aa..6ae37d06d 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/c-c++/packages.el
+++ b/layers/+lang/c-c++/packages.el
@@ -18,25 +18,25 @@
     cmake-mode
     company
     (company-c-headers :requires company)
+    (company-rtags :requires company rtags)
     company-ycmd
     flycheck
+    (flycheck-rtags :requires flycheck rtags)
     gdb-mi
     ggtags
     counsel-gtags
     google-c-style
     helm-cscope
     helm-gtags
+    (helm-rtags :requires helm rtags)
+    (ivy-rtags :requires ivy rtags)
+    rtags
     realgud
     semantic
     srefactor
     stickyfunc-enhance
     ycmd
     xcscope
-    rtags
-    (company-rtags :requires company rtags)
-    (flycheck-rtags :requires flycheck rtags)
-    (helm-rtags :requires helm rtags)
-    (ivy-rtags :requires ivy rtags)
     ))
 
 (defun c-c++/init-cc-mode ()
@@ -116,6 +116,17 @@
             :backends company-c-headers
             :modes c-mode-common)))
 
+(defun c-c++/init-company-rtags ()
+  (use-package company-rtags
+    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
+    :defer t
+    :init
+    (progn
+      (setq rtags-completions-enabled t)
+      (spacemacs|add-company-backends
+        :backends company-rtags
+        :modes c-mode-common))))
+
 (defun c-c++/post-init-flycheck ()
   (dolist (mode c-c++-modes)
     (spacemacs/enable-flycheck mode))
@@ -124,6 +135,11 @@
     (when c-c++-enable-c++11
       (setq flycheck-clang-language-standard "c++11"))))
 
+;; TODO lazy load this package
+(defun c-c++/init-flycheck-rtags ()
+  (use-package flycheck-rtags
+    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support))
+
 (defun c-c++/post-init-ggtags ()
   (add-hook 'c-mode-local-vars-hook #'spacemacs/ggtags-mode-enable)
   (add-hook 'c++-mode-local-vars-hook #'spacemacs/ggtags-mode-enable))
@@ -146,6 +162,65 @@
   (dolist (mode c-c++-modes)
     (spacemacs/helm-gtags-define-keys-for-mode mode)))
 
+;; TODO lazy load this package
+(defun c-c++/init-helm-rtags ()
+  (use-package helm-rtags
+    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
+    :init (setq rtags-display-result-backend 'helm)))
+
+;; TODO lazy load this package
+(defun c-c++/init-ivy-rtags ()
+  (use-package ivy-rtags
+    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
+    :init (setq rtags-display-result-backend 'ivy)))
+
+;; TODO lazy load this package
+(defun c-c++/init-rtags ()
+  (use-package rtags
+    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
+    :init
+    (progn
+      (setq rtags-autostart-diagnostics t)
+      (add-hook 'rtags-jump-hook 'evil-set-jump)
+      (rtags-diagnostics)
+      ;; key bindings
+      (define-key evil-normal-state-map (kbd "RET") 'rtags-select-other-window)
+      (define-key evil-normal-state-map (kbd "M-RET") 'rtags-select)
+      (define-key (kbd "q") evil-normal-state-map 'rtags-bury-or-delete)
+      ;; TODO check for consistency with gtags key bindings
+      ;; see https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs/blob/develop/layers/+tags/gtags/funcs.el#L70
+      (dolist (mode c-c++-modes)
+        (spacemacs/set-leader-keys-for-major-mode mode
+          "g." 'spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-symbol-at-point
+          "g," 'spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-references-at-point
+          "g;" 'spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-file
+          "g/" 'rtags-find-all-references-at-point
+          "g[" 'rtags-location-stack-back
+          "g]" 'rtags-location-stack-forward
+          "g>" 'spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-symbol
+          "g<" 'spacemacs/c-c++-tags-find-references
+          "gB" 'rtags-show-rtags-buffer
+          "gd" 'rtags-print-dependencies
+          "gD" 'rtags-diagnostics
+          "ge" 'rtags-reparse-file
+          "gE" 'rtags-preprocess-file
+          "gF" 'rtags-fixit
+          "gG" 'rtags-guess-function-at-point
+          "gh" 'rtags-print-class-hierarchy
+          "gI" 'spacemacs/c-c++-tags-imenu
+          "gL" 'rtags-copy-and-print-current-location
+          "gM" 'rtags-symbol-info
+          "gO" 'rtags-goto-offset
+          "gp" 'rtags-set-current-project
+          "gR" 'rtags-rename-symbol
+          "gs" 'rtags-print-source-arguments
+          "gS" 'rtags-display-summary
+          "gT" 'rtags-taglist
+          "gv" 'rtags-find-virtuals-at-point
+          "gV" 'rtags-print-enum-value-at-point
+          "gX" 'rtags-fix-fixit-at-point
+          "gY" 'rtags-cycle-overlays-on-screen)))))
+
 (defun c-c++/init-realgud()
   (use-package realgud
     :defer t
@@ -213,88 +288,3 @@
     :post-init
     (dolist (mode c-c++-modes)
       (spacemacs/setup-helm-cscope mode))))
-;;;
-;;; Adapted from comment:
-;;; https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs/issues/2327#issuecomment-153283156
-;;; by user
-;;; https://github.com/autosquid
-;;;
-(defun rtags-major-mode-keybindings (mode)
-  (spacemacs/declare-prefix-for-mode mode "me" "refactor")
-  (spacemacs/set-leader-keys-for-major-mode mode
-    "e." 'rtags-find-symbol-at-point
-    "e," 'rtags-find-references-at-point
-    "ev" 'rtags-find-virtuals-at-point
-    "eV" 'rtags-print-enum-value-at-point
-    "e/" 'rtags-find-all-references-at-point
-    "eY" 'rtags-cycle-overlays-on-screen
-    "e>" 'rtags-find-symbol
-    "e<" 'rtags-find-references
-    "e[" 'rtags-location-stack-back
-    "e]" 'rtags-location-stack-forward
-    "eD" 'rtags-diagnostics
-    "eG" 'rtags-guess-function-at-point
-    "ep" 'rtags-set-current-project
-    "eP" 'rtags-print-dependencies
-    "ee" 'rtags-reparse-file
-    "eE" 'rtags-preprocess-file
-    "eR" 'rtags-rename-symbol
-    "eM" 'rtags-symbol-info
-    "eS" 'rtags-display-summary
-    "eO" 'rtags-goto-offset
-    "e;" 'rtags-find-file
-    "eF" 'rtags-fixit
-    "eL" 'rtags-copy-and-print-current-location
-    "eX" 'rtags-fix-fixit-at-point
-    "eB" 'rtags-show-rtags-buffer
-    "eI" 'rtags-imenu
-    "eT" 'rtags-taglist
-    "eh" 'rtags-print-class-hierarchy
-    "ea" 'rtags-print-source-arguments
-    ))
-
-(defun c-c++/init-rtags ()
-  (use-package rtags
-    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
-    :init
-    (setq rtags-autostart-diagnostics t)
-    (add-hook 'rtags-jump-hook 'evil-set-jump)
-    (rtags-diagnostics)
-    (define-key evil-normal-state-map (kbd "RET") 'rtags-select-other-window)
-    (define-key evil-normal-state-map (kbd "M-RET") 'rtags-select)
-    (define-key evil-normal-state-map (kbd "q") 'rtags-bury-or-delete)
-
-    (rtags-major-mode-keybindings 'c-mode)
-    (rtags-major-mode-keybindings 'c++-mode)
-    ))
-
-(defun c-c++/init-company-rtags ()
-  (use-package company-rtags
-    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
-    :defer t
-))
-
-(defun c-c++/post-init-company-rtags ()
-  (when  c-c++-enable-rtags-support
-    (setq rtags-completions-enabled t)
-    (spacemacs|add-company-backends
-           :backends company-rtags
-           :modes c-mode-common)))
-
-(defun c-c++/init-flycheck-rtags ()
-  (use-package flycheck-rtags
-    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support))
-
-(defun c-c++/init-helm-rtags ()
-  (use-package helm-rtags
-    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
-    :init
-    (setq rtags-display-result-backend 'helm)
-  ))
-
-(defun c-c++/init-ivy-rtags ()
-  (use-package ivy-rtags
-    :if c-c++-enable-rtags-support
-    :init
-    (setq rtags-display-result-backend 'ivy)
-    ))