diff --git a/cmd/prometheus/main.go b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
index 7d280af5e..4c2fbaa73 100644
--- a/cmd/prometheus/main.go
+++ b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ func Main() int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	remoteStorage := &remote.Storage{}
-	sampleAppender = append(sampleAppender, remoteStorage)
+	remoteAppender := &remote.Writer{}
+	sampleAppender = append(sampleAppender, remoteAppender)
 	remoteReader := &remote.Reader{}
-	reloadables = append(reloadables, remoteStorage, remoteReader)
+	reloadables = append(reloadables, remoteAppender, remoteReader)
 
 	queryable := fanin.Queryable{
 		Local:  localStorage,
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func Main() int {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	defer remoteStorage.Stop()
+	defer remoteAppender.Stop()
 
 	// The storage has to be fully initialized before registering.
 	if instrumentedStorage, ok := localStorage.(prometheus.Collector); ok {
diff --git a/storage/remote/remote.go b/storage/remote/write.go
similarity index 79%
rename from storage/remote/remote.go
rename to storage/remote/write.go
index c67e4f7f4..069ea0a41 100644
--- a/storage/remote/remote.go
+++ b/storage/remote/write.go
@@ -21,16 +21,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/config"
 )
 
-// Storage allows queueing samples for remote writes.
-type Storage struct {
+// Writer allows queueing samples for remote writes.
+type Writer struct {
 	mtx    sync.RWMutex
 	queues []*QueueManager
 }
 
 // ApplyConfig updates the state as the new config requires.
-func (s *Storage) ApplyConfig(conf *config.Config) error {
-	s.mtx.Lock()
-	defer s.mtx.Unlock()
+func (w *Writer) ApplyConfig(conf *config.Config) error {
+	w.mtx.Lock()
+	defer w.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	newQueues := []*QueueManager{}
 	// TODO: we should only stop & recreate queues which have changes,
@@ -53,30 +53,30 @@ func (s *Storage) ApplyConfig(conf *config.Config) error {
 		}))
 	}
 
-	for _, q := range s.queues {
+	for _, q := range w.queues {
 		q.Stop()
 	}
 
-	s.queues = newQueues
-	for _, q := range s.queues {
+	w.queues = newQueues
+	for _, q := range w.queues {
 		q.Start()
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // Stop the background processing of the storage queues.
-func (s *Storage) Stop() {
-	for _, q := range s.queues {
+func (w *Writer) Stop() {
+	for _, q := range w.queues {
 		q.Stop()
 	}
 }
 
 // Append implements storage.SampleAppender. Always returns nil.
-func (s *Storage) Append(smpl *model.Sample) error {
-	s.mtx.RLock()
-	defer s.mtx.RUnlock()
+func (w *Writer) Append(smpl *model.Sample) error {
+	w.mtx.RLock()
+	defer w.mtx.RUnlock()
 
-	for _, q := range s.queues {
+	for _, q := range w.queues {
 		q.Append(smpl)
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -85,6 +85,6 @@ func (s *Storage) Append(smpl *model.Sample) error {
 // NeedsThrottling implements storage.SampleAppender. It will always return
 // false as a remote storage drops samples on the floor if backlogging instead
 // of asking for throttling.
-func (s *Storage) NeedsThrottling() bool {
+func (w *Writer) NeedsThrottling() bool {
 	return false
 }