diff --git a/commodore/component/__init__.py b/commodore/component/__init__.py
index cd900458d..950051881 100644
--- a/commodore/component/__init__.py
+++ b/commodore/component/__init__.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 from pathlib import Path as P
-from typing import Iterable, Optional
+from typing import Dict, Iterable, Optional
 
 import _jsonnet
 import click
+import yaml
 
 from commodore.gitrepo import GitRepo
 
@@ -71,6 +72,12 @@ def class_file(self) -> P:
     def defaults_file(self) -> P:
         return self.target_directory / "class" / "defaults.yml"
 
+    @property
+    def default_values(self) -> Dict:
+        with open(self.defaults_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            defyaml = list(yaml.safe_load_all(f))
+        return defyaml[0]["parameters"][self.parameters_key]
+
     @property
     def lib_files(self) -> Iterable[P]:
         lib_dir = self.target_directory / "lib"
@@ -79,6 +86,17 @@ def lib_files(self) -> Iterable[P]:
 
         return []
 
+    def get_library(self, libname: str) -> P:
+        lib_dir = self.target_directory / "lib"
+        if not lib_dir.exists():
+            return None
+
+        for f in self.lib_files:
+            if f.absolute() == P(lib_dir / libname).absolute():
+                return f.absolute()
+
+        return None
+
     @property
     def filters_file(self) -> P:
         return self.target_directory / "postprocess" / "filters.yml"
diff --git a/commodore/component/compile.py b/commodore/component/compile.py
index 3fef4594b..44af835f3 100644
--- a/commodore/component/compile.py
+++ b/commodore/component/compile.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from commodore.dependency_mgmt import (
     fetch_jsonnet_libraries,
     validate_component_library_name,
+    create_component_library_aliases,
 )
 from commodore.helpers import kapitan_compile, relsymlink
 from commodore.inventory import Inventory
@@ -61,6 +62,8 @@ def compile_component(
         for lib in component.lib_files:
             validate_component_library_name(config, component.name, lib)
 
+        create_component_library_aliases(config, component)
+
         # Create class for fake parameters
         with open(inv.params_file, "w", encoding="utf-8") as file:
             file.write(
diff --git a/commodore/dependency_mgmt.py b/commodore/dependency_mgmt.py
index e96b023c8..318a7331e 100644
--- a/commodore/dependency_mgmt.py
+++ b/commodore/dependency_mgmt.py
@@ -26,6 +26,25 @@ def validate_component_library_name(cfg: Config, cname: str, lib: P) -> P:
     return lib
 
 
+def create_component_library_aliases(cfg: Config, component: Component):
+    aliases = (
+        component.default_values.get("=_metadata", {})
+        .get("library_aliases", {})
+        .items()
+    )
+    for libalias, libname in aliases:
+        if cfg.debug:
+            click.echo(f"     > aliasing template library {libname} to {libalias}")
+        libf = component.get_library(libname)
+        if not libf:
+            click.secho(
+                f" > [WARN] {component.name} template library alias refers to nonexistent template library",
+                fg="yellow",
+            )
+        else:
+            relsymlink(libf, cfg.inventory.lib_dir, dest_name=libalias)
+
+
 def create_component_symlinks(cfg, component: Component):
     """
     Create symlinks in the inventory subdirectory.
@@ -49,6 +68,8 @@ def create_component_symlinks(cfg, component: Component):
             cfg.inventory.lib_dir,
         )
 
+    create_component_library_aliases(cfg, component)
+
 
 def _format_component_list(components: Iterable[str]) -> str:
     formatted_list = list(map(lambda c: f"'{c}'", sorted(components)))