diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/index.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/index.ts
index 6697901b6d5..8cacb65eff4 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/index.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/index.ts
@@ -307,4 +307,5 @@ export { default as OutletView } from './lib/views/outlet';
 export { capabilities } from './lib/component-managers/custom';
 export { setComponentManager, getComponentManager } from './lib/utils/custom-component-manager';
 export { setModifierManager, getModifierManager } from './lib/utils/custom-modifier-manager';
+export { capabilities as modifierCapabilties } from './lib/modifiers/custom';
 export { isSerializationFirstNode } from './lib/utils/serialization-first-node-helpers';
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/component-managers/custom.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/component-managers/custom.ts
index 311f2fbaa13..587bce404d0 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/component-managers/custom.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/component-managers/custom.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { Destroyable } from '@glimmer/util';
 import Environment from '../environment';
 import RuntimeResolver from '../resolver';
 import { OwnedTemplate } from '../template';
+import { ManagerArgs, valueForCapturedArgs } from '../utils/managers';
 import { RootReference } from '../utils/references';
 import AbstractComponentManager from './abstract';
 
@@ -64,15 +65,10 @@ export interface Capabilities {
   destructor: boolean;
 }
 
-export interface CustomComponentManagerArgs {
-  named: Dict<Opaque>;
-  positional: Opaque[];
-}
-
 export interface ManagerDelegate<ComponentInstance> {
   capabilities: Capabilities;
-  createComponent(factory: Opaque, args: CustomComponentManagerArgs): ComponentInstance;
-  updateComponent(instance: ComponentInstance, args: CustomComponentManagerArgs): void;
+  createComponent(factory: Opaque, args: ManagerArgs): ComponentInstance;
+  updateComponent(instance: ComponentInstance, args: ManagerArgs): void;
   getContext(instance: ComponentInstance): Opaque;
 }
 
@@ -104,12 +100,6 @@ export interface ComponentArguments {
   named: Dict<Opaque>;
 }
 
-function valueForCapturedArgs(args: CapturedArguments): CustomComponentManagerArgs {
-  return {
-    named: args.named.value(),
-    positional: args.positional.value(),
-  };
-}
 /**
   The CustomComponentManager allows addons to provide custom component
   implementations that integrate seamlessly into Ember. This is accomplished
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/modifiers/custom.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/modifiers/custom.ts
index b395809dd7c..32c30af833f 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/modifiers/custom.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/modifiers/custom.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { Factory } from '@ember/-internals/owner';
-import { Dict, Opaque } from '@glimmer/interfaces';
+import { Opaque } from '@glimmer/interfaces';
 import { Tag } from '@glimmer/reference';
 import { Arguments, CapturedArguments, ModifierManager } from '@glimmer/runtime';
+import { ManagerArgs, valueForCapturedArgs } from '../utils/managers';
 
 export interface CustomModifierDefinitionState<ModifierInstance> {
   ModifierClass: Factory<ModifierInstance>;
@@ -9,8 +10,10 @@ export interface CustomModifierDefinitionState<ModifierInstance> {
   delegate: ModifierManagerDelegate<ModifierInstance>;
 }
 
+export interface Capabilities {}
+
 // Currently there are no capabilities for modifiers
-export function capabilities() {
+export function capabilities(_managerAPI: string, _optionalFeatures?: {}): Capabilities {
   return {};
 }
 
@@ -19,7 +22,7 @@ export class CustomModifierDefinition<ModifierInstance> {
   public manager = CUSTOM_MODIFIER_MANAGER;
   constructor(
     public name: string,
-    ModifierClass: Factory<ModifierInstance>,
+    public ModifierClass: Factory<ModifierInstance>,
     public delegate: ModifierManagerDelegate<ModifierInstance>
   ) {
     this.state = {
@@ -45,27 +48,12 @@ export class CustomModifierState<ModifierInstance> {
   }
 }
 
-export interface CustomModifierManagerArgs {
-  named: Dict<Opaque>;
-  positional: Opaque[];
-}
-
 export interface ModifierManagerDelegate<ModifierInstance> {
-  createModifier(factory: Opaque, args: CustomModifierManagerArgs): ModifierInstance;
-  installModifier(
-    instance: ModifierInstance,
-    element: Element,
-    args: CustomModifierManagerArgs
-  ): void;
-  updateModifier(instance: ModifierInstance, args: CustomModifierManagerArgs): void;
-  destroyModifier(instance: ModifierInstance, args: CustomModifierManagerArgs): void;
-}
-
-function valueForCapturedArgs(args: CapturedArguments): CustomModifierManagerArgs {
-  return {
-    named: args.named.value(),
-    positional: args.positional.value(),
-  };
+  capabilities: Capabilities;
+  createModifier(factory: Opaque, args: ManagerArgs): ModifierInstance;
+  installModifier(instance: ModifierInstance, element: Element, args: ManagerArgs): void;
+  updateModifier(instance: ModifierInstance, args: ManagerArgs): void;
+  destroyModifier(instance: ModifierInstance, args: ManagerArgs): void;
 }
 
 class CustomModifierManager<ModifierInstance>
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/resolver.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/resolver.ts
index 8df76b995af..0be90ea2d6a 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/resolver.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/resolver.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ import { default as queryParams } from './helpers/query-param';
 import { default as readonly } from './helpers/readonly';
 import { default as unbound } from './helpers/unbound';
 import ActionModifierManager from './modifiers/action';
-import { CustomModifierDefinition } from './modifiers/custom';
+import { CustomModifierDefinition, ModifierManagerDelegate } from './modifiers/custom';
 import { populateMacros } from './syntax';
 import { mountHelper } from './syntax/mount';
 import { outletHelper } from './syntax/outlet';
@@ -285,14 +285,7 @@ export default class RuntimeResolver implements IRuntimeResolver<OwnedTemplateMe
       let { owner } = meta;
       let modifier = owner.factoryFor(`modifier:${name}`);
       if (modifier !== undefined) {
-        let managerFactory = getModifierManager(modifier.class);
-        assert(
-          `Could not find custom modifier manager for '${name}' which was specified by ${
-            modifier.class
-          }`,
-          !!managerFactory
-        );
-
+        let managerFactory = getModifierManager<ModifierManagerDelegate<Opaque>>(modifier.class);
         let manager = managerFactory!(owner);
 
         return new CustomModifierDefinition(name, modifier, manager);
@@ -352,20 +345,14 @@ export default class RuntimeResolver implements IRuntimeResolver<OwnedTemplateMe
     }
 
     if (GLIMMER_CUSTOM_COMPONENT_MANAGER && component && component.class) {
-      let managerId = getComponentManager(component.class);
-      if (managerId) {
-        let manager = this._lookupComponentManager(meta.owner, managerId);
-        assert(
-          `Could not find custom component manager '${managerId}' which was specified by ${
-            component.class
-          }`,
-          !!manager
-        );
+      let managerFactory = getComponentManager<ManagerDelegate<Opaque>>(component.class);
+      if (managerFactory) {
+        let delegate = managerFactory(meta.owner);
 
         let definition = new CustomManagerDefinition(
           name,
           component,
-          manager,
+          delegate,
           layout || meta.owner.lookup<OwnedTemplate>(P`template:components/-default`)
         );
         finalizer();
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-component-manager.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-component-manager.ts
index 5f3f5d56483..f5fd66dda47 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-component-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-component-manager.ts
@@ -1,27 +1,24 @@
+import { Owner } from '@ember/-internals/owner';
 import { GLIMMER_CUSTOM_COMPONENT_MANAGER } from '@ember/canary-features';
+import { Opaque } from '@glimmer/interfaces';
+import { getManager, ManagerFactory, setManager } from './managers';
 
-const getPrototypeOf = Object.getPrototypeOf;
-const MANAGERS: WeakMap<any, string> = new WeakMap();
-
-export function setComponentManager(managerId: string, obj: any) {
-  MANAGERS.set(obj, managerId);
-
-  return obj;
+export function setComponentManager(stringOrFunction: string | ManagerFactory<Opaque>, obj: any) {
+  let factory;
+  if (typeof stringOrFunction === 'string') {
+    factory = function(owner: Owner) {
+      return owner.lookup(`component-manager:${stringOrFunction}`);
+    };
+  } else {
+    factory = stringOrFunction;
+  }
+  return setManager(factory, obj);
 }
 
-export function getComponentManager(obj: any): string | undefined {
+export function getComponentManager<T>(obj: any): undefined | ManagerFactory<T> {
   if (!GLIMMER_CUSTOM_COMPONENT_MANAGER) {
     return;
   }
 
-  let pointer = obj;
-  while (pointer !== undefined && pointer !== null) {
-    if (MANAGERS.has(pointer)) {
-      return MANAGERS.get(pointer);
-    }
-
-    pointer = getPrototypeOf(pointer);
-  }
-
-  return;
+  return getManager(obj);
 }
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-modifier-manager.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-modifier-manager.ts
index 8109c57d271..d4d0ff85357 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-modifier-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/custom-modifier-manager.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,15 @@
-import { Owner } from '@ember/-internals/owner';
 import { GLIMMER_MODIFIER_MANAGER } from '@ember/canary-features';
 import { Opaque } from '@glimmer/util';
-import { ModifierManagerDelegate } from '../modifiers/custom';
+import { getManager, ManagerFactory, setManager } from './managers';
 
-const getPrototypeOf = Object.getPrototypeOf;
-
-export type ModifierManagerFactory = (owner: Owner) => ModifierManagerDelegate<Opaque>;
-
-const MANAGERS: WeakMap<any, ModifierManagerFactory> = new WeakMap();
-
-export function setModifierManager(factory: ModifierManagerFactory, obj: any) {
-  MANAGERS.set(obj, factory);
-  return obj;
+export function setModifierManager(factory: ManagerFactory<Opaque>, obj: any) {
+  return setManager(factory, obj);
 }
 
-export function getModifierManager(obj: any): undefined | ModifierManagerFactory {
+export function getModifierManager<T>(obj: any): undefined | ManagerFactory<T> {
   if (!GLIMMER_MODIFIER_MANAGER) {
     return;
   }
 
-  let pointer = obj;
-  while (pointer !== undefined && pointer !== null) {
-    if (MANAGERS.has(pointer)) {
-      return MANAGERS.get(pointer);
-    }
-
-    pointer = getPrototypeOf(pointer);
-  }
-
-  return;
+  return getManager(obj);
 }
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/managers.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/managers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fc5d05830c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/utils/managers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { Owner } from '@ember/-internals/owner';
+import { Dict, Opaque } from '@glimmer/interfaces';
+import { CapturedArguments } from '@glimmer/runtime';
+
+const MANAGERS: WeakMap<any, ManagerFactory<Opaque>> = new WeakMap();
+
+const getPrototypeOf = Object.getPrototypeOf;
+
+export type ManagerFactory<ManagerDelegate> = (owner: Owner) => ManagerDelegate;
+
+export function setManager<ManagerDelegate>(factory: ManagerFactory<ManagerDelegate>, obj: any) {
+  MANAGERS.set(obj, factory);
+  return obj;
+}
+
+export function getManager<T>(obj: any): undefined | ManagerFactory<T> {
+  let pointer = obj;
+  while (pointer !== undefined && pointer !== null) {
+    if (MANAGERS.has(pointer)) {
+      return MANAGERS.get(pointer) as ManagerFactory<T>;
+    }
+
+    pointer = getPrototypeOf(pointer);
+  }
+
+  return;
+}
+
+export function valueForCapturedArgs(args: CapturedArguments): ManagerArgs {
+  return {
+    named: args.named.value(),
+    positional: args.positional.value(),
+  };
+}
+
+export interface ManagerArgs {
+  named: Dict<Opaque>;
+  positional: Opaque[];
+}