diff --git a/src/embind/embind_gen.js b/src/embind/embind_gen.js
index cf8b8d594fac6..130e128e600e0 100644
--- a/src/embind/embind_gen.js
+++ b/src/embind/embind_gen.js
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ var LibraryEmbind = {
       out.push(`export interface ${this.name}`);
       if (this.base) {
         out.push(` extends ${this.base.name}`);
+      } else {
+        out.push(' extends ClassHandle');
       }
       out.push(' {\n');
       for (const property of this.properties) {
@@ -186,7 +188,6 @@ var LibraryEmbind = {
         method.printFunction(nameMap, out);
         out.push(';\n');
       }
-      out.push('  delete(): void;\n');
       out.push('}\n\n');
     }
 
@@ -402,6 +403,24 @@ var LibraryEmbind = {
 
     print() {
       const out = [];
+      let hadClass = false;
+      for (const def of this.definitions) {
+        if (def instanceof ClassDefinition) {
+          hadClass = true;
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+      if (hadClass) {
+        out.push(
+          'export interface ClassHandle {\n',
+          '  isAliasOf(other: ClassHandle): boolean;\n',
+          '  delete(): void;\n',
+          '  deleteLater(): this;\n',
+          '  isDeleted(): boolean;\n',
+          '  clone(): this;\n',
+          '}\n',
+        );
+      }
       for (const def of this.definitions) {
         if (!def.print) {
           continue;
diff --git a/test/other/embind_tsgen.d.ts b/test/other/embind_tsgen.d.ts
index 1ec9a753088b9..367232ae5f178 100644
--- a/test/other/embind_tsgen.d.ts
+++ b/test/other/embind_tsgen.d.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,14 @@ interface WasmModule {
 }
 
 type EmbindString = ArrayBuffer|Uint8Array|Uint8ClampedArray|Int8Array|string;
-export interface Test {
+export interface ClassHandle {
+  isAliasOf(other: ClassHandle): boolean;
+  delete(): void;
+  deleteLater(): this;
+  isDeleted(): boolean;
+  clone(): this;
+}
+export interface Test extends ClassHandle {
   x: number;
   readonly y: number;
   get stringProperty(): string;
@@ -30,11 +37,9 @@ export interface Test {
   longFn(_0: number): number;
   functionThree(_0: EmbindString): number;
   functionSix(str: EmbindString): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Obj {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface Obj extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
 export interface BarValue<T extends number> {
@@ -49,40 +54,34 @@ export type EmptyEnum = never/* Empty Enumerator */;
 
 export type ValArrIx = [ Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar ];
 
-export interface IntVec {
+export interface IntVec extends ClassHandle {
   push_back(_0: number): void;
   resize(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): boolean;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface MapIntInt {
+export interface MapIntInt extends ClassHandle {
   keys(): IntVec;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Foo {
+export interface Foo extends ClassHandle {
   process(_0: Test): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValObj = {
@@ -91,24 +90,20 @@ export type ValObj = {
   callback: (message: string) => void
 };
 
-export interface BaseClass {
+export interface BaseClass extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface DerivedClass extends BaseClass {
   fn2(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Interface {
+export interface Interface extends ClassHandle {
   invoke(_0: EmbindString): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface InterfaceWrapper extends Interface {
   notifyOnDestruction(): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValArr = [ number, number, number ];
diff --git a/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_1.d.ts b/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_1.d.ts
index 47618dc6dc203..d7a513215c143 100644
--- a/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_1.d.ts
+++ b/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_1.d.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,14 @@ interface WasmModule {
 }
 
 type EmbindString = ArrayBuffer|Uint8Array|Uint8ClampedArray|Int8Array|string;
-export interface Test {
+export interface ClassHandle {
+  isAliasOf(other: ClassHandle): boolean;
+  delete(): void;
+  deleteLater(): this;
+  isDeleted(): boolean;
+  clone(): this;
+}
+export interface Test extends ClassHandle {
   x: number;
   readonly y: number;
   get stringProperty(): string;
@@ -39,11 +46,9 @@ export interface Test {
   longFn(_0: number): number;
   functionThree(_0: EmbindString): number;
   functionSix(str: EmbindString): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Obj {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface Obj extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
 export interface BarValue<T extends number> {
@@ -58,40 +63,34 @@ export type EmptyEnum = never/* Empty Enumerator */;
 
 export type ValArrIx = [ Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar ];
 
-export interface IntVec {
+export interface IntVec extends ClassHandle {
   push_back(_0: number): void;
   resize(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): boolean;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface MapIntInt {
+export interface MapIntInt extends ClassHandle {
   keys(): IntVec;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Foo {
+export interface Foo extends ClassHandle {
   process(_0: Test): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValObj = {
@@ -100,24 +99,20 @@ export type ValObj = {
   callback: (message: string) => void
 };
 
-export interface BaseClass {
+export interface BaseClass extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface DerivedClass extends BaseClass {
   fn2(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Interface {
+export interface Interface extends ClassHandle {
   invoke(_0: EmbindString): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface InterfaceWrapper extends Interface {
   notifyOnDestruction(): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValArr = [ number, number, number ];
diff --git a/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_2.d.ts b/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_2.d.ts
index 3d4cce80a2a24..7e2923be3c762 100644
--- a/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_2.d.ts
+++ b/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_2.d.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,14 @@ interface WasmModule {
 }
 
 type EmbindString = ArrayBuffer|Uint8Array|Uint8ClampedArray|Int8Array|string;
-export interface Test {
+export interface ClassHandle {
+  isAliasOf(other: ClassHandle): boolean;
+  delete(): void;
+  deleteLater(): this;
+  isDeleted(): boolean;
+  clone(): this;
+}
+export interface Test extends ClassHandle {
   x: number;
   readonly y: number;
   get stringProperty(): string;
@@ -16,11 +23,9 @@ export interface Test {
   longFn(_0: number): number;
   functionThree(_0: EmbindString): number;
   functionSix(str: EmbindString): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Obj {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface Obj extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
 export interface BarValue<T extends number> {
@@ -35,40 +40,34 @@ export type EmptyEnum = never/* Empty Enumerator */;
 
 export type ValArrIx = [ Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar ];
 
-export interface IntVec {
+export interface IntVec extends ClassHandle {
   push_back(_0: number): void;
   resize(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): boolean;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface MapIntInt {
+export interface MapIntInt extends ClassHandle {
   keys(): IntVec;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Foo {
+export interface Foo extends ClassHandle {
   process(_0: Test): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValObj = {
@@ -77,24 +76,20 @@ export type ValObj = {
   callback: (message: string) => void
 };
 
-export interface BaseClass {
+export interface BaseClass extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface DerivedClass extends BaseClass {
   fn2(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Interface {
+export interface Interface extends ClassHandle {
   invoke(_0: EmbindString): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface InterfaceWrapper extends Interface {
   notifyOnDestruction(): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValArr = [ number, number, number ];
diff --git a/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_3.d.ts b/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_3.d.ts
index 1ec9a753088b9..367232ae5f178 100644
--- a/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_3.d.ts
+++ b/test/other/embind_tsgen_ignore_3.d.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,14 @@ interface WasmModule {
 }
 
 type EmbindString = ArrayBuffer|Uint8Array|Uint8ClampedArray|Int8Array|string;
-export interface Test {
+export interface ClassHandle {
+  isAliasOf(other: ClassHandle): boolean;
+  delete(): void;
+  deleteLater(): this;
+  isDeleted(): boolean;
+  clone(): this;
+}
+export interface Test extends ClassHandle {
   x: number;
   readonly y: number;
   get stringProperty(): string;
@@ -30,11 +37,9 @@ export interface Test {
   longFn(_0: number): number;
   functionThree(_0: EmbindString): number;
   functionSix(str: EmbindString): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Obj {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface Obj extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
 export interface BarValue<T extends number> {
@@ -49,40 +54,34 @@ export type EmptyEnum = never/* Empty Enumerator */;
 
 export type ValArrIx = [ Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar ];
 
-export interface IntVec {
+export interface IntVec extends ClassHandle {
   push_back(_0: number): void;
   resize(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): boolean;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface MapIntInt {
+export interface MapIntInt extends ClassHandle {
   keys(): IntVec;
   get(_0: number): number | undefined;
   set(_0: number, _1: number): void;
   size(): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Foo {
+export interface Foo extends ClassHandle {
   process(_0: Test): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors {
-  delete(): void;
+export interface ClassWithTwoConstructors extends ClassHandle {
 }
 
-export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor {
+export interface ClassWithSmartPtrConstructor extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValObj = {
@@ -91,24 +90,20 @@ export type ValObj = {
   callback: (message: string) => void
 };
 
-export interface BaseClass {
+export interface BaseClass extends ClassHandle {
   fn(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface DerivedClass extends BaseClass {
   fn2(_0: number): number;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
-export interface Interface {
+export interface Interface extends ClassHandle {
   invoke(_0: EmbindString): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export interface InterfaceWrapper extends Interface {
   notifyOnDestruction(): void;
-  delete(): void;
 }
 
 export type ValArr = [ number, number, number ];