diff --git a/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/__init__.py b/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/__init__.py
index 2d64c54dc..65ed5b767 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/__init__.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/__init__.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from ._base import GenericSingerReader, GenericSingerWriter, SingerMessageType
-from ._simple import SingerReader, SingerWriter
+from ._simple import SimpleSingerReader, SimpleSingerWriter
 
 __all__ = [
     "GenericSingerReader",
     "GenericSingerWriter",
+    "SimpleSingerReader",
+    "SimpleSingerWriter",
     "SingerMessageType",
-    "SingerReader",
-    "SingerWriter",
 ]
diff --git a/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/_simple.py b/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/_simple.py
index 5bfb242fb..7ce148fc3 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/_simple.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/_singerlib/encoding/_simple.py
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ def __post_init__(self) -> None:
         self.type = SingerMessageType.ACTIVATE_VERSION
 
 
-class SingerReader(GenericSingerReader[str]):
+class SimpleSingerReader(GenericSingerReader[str]):
     """Base class for all plugins reading Singer messages as strings from stdin."""
 
     default_input = sys.stdin
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ def deserialize_json(self, line: str) -> dict:  # noqa: PLR6301
             raise InvalidInputLine(msg) from exc
 
 
-class SingerWriter(GenericSingerWriter[str, Message]):
+class SimpleSingerWriter(GenericSingerWriter[str, Message]):
     """Interface for all plugins writing Singer messages to stdout."""
 
     def serialize_message(self, message: Message) -> str:  # noqa: PLR6301
diff --git a/singer_sdk/_singerlib/messages.py b/singer_sdk/_singerlib/messages.py
index 640219de6..271c3bea3 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/_singerlib/messages.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/_singerlib/messages.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from .encoding import SingerWriter
+from .encoding import SimpleSingerWriter as SingerWriter
 from .encoding._base import SingerMessageType
 from .encoding._simple import (
     ActivateVersionMessage,
diff --git a/singer_sdk/io_base.py b/singer_sdk/io_base.py
index f9041beea..f24188b4e 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/io_base.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/io_base.py
@@ -2,4 +2,18 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from singer_sdk._singerlib.encoding import *  # noqa: F403
+from singer_sdk._singerlib.encoding import (
+    GenericSingerReader,
+    GenericSingerWriter,
+    SingerMessageType,
+)
+from singer_sdk._singerlib.encoding import SimpleSingerReader as SingerReader
+from singer_sdk._singerlib.encoding import SimpleSingerWriter as SingerWriter
+
+__all__ = [
+    "GenericSingerReader",
+    "GenericSingerWriter",
+    "SingerMessageType",
+    "SingerReader",
+    "SingerWriter",
+]