diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 4cc1f7204..654eab786 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ class Library(BaseLibrary):
             # No table exists.        
             setup_sql =  'CREATE TABLE %s (' % table
             setup_sql += ', '.join(['%s %s' % f[:2] for f in fields])
-            setup_sql += ');'
+            setup_sql += ');\n'
             
         else:
             # Table exists but is missing fields.
@@ -858,6 +858,13 @@ class Library(BaseLibrary):
                     assert False
                 setup_sql += 'ALTER TABLE %s ' % table
                 setup_sql += 'ADD COLUMN %s %s;\n' % field[:2]
+
+        # Special case. If we're moving from a version without
+        # albumartist, copy all the "artist" values to "albumartist"
+        # values on the album data structure.
+        if table == 'albums' and 'artist' in current_fields and \
+                    'albumartist' not in current_fields:
+            setup_sql += "UPDATE ALBUMS SET albumartist=artist;\n"
         
         self.conn.executescript(setup_sql)
         self.conn.commit()
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index a22973453..7b3af442c 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -627,10 +627,10 @@ def list_items(lib, query, album):
     """
     if album:
         for album in lib.albums(query=query):
-            print_(album.artist + ' - ' + album.album)
+            print_(album.albumartist + u' - ' + album.album)
     else:
         for item in lib.items(query=query):
-            print_(item.artist + ' - ' + item.album + ' - ' + item.title)
+            print_(item.artist + u' - ' + item.album + u' - ' + item.title)
 
 list_cmd = ui.Subcommand('list', help='query the library', aliases=('ls',))
 list_cmd.parser.add_option('-a', '--album', action='store_true',
diff --git a/test/test_db.py b/test/test_db.py
index 4463cf680..612c7e824 100644
--- a/test/test_db.py
+++ b/test/test_db.py
@@ -379,6 +379,34 @@ class MigrationTest(unittest.TestCase):
         except sqlite3.OperationalError:
             self.fail("select failed")
 
+    def test_album_data_preserved(self):
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self.libfile)
+        conn.execute('drop table albums')
+        conn.execute('create table albums (id primary key, album)')
+        conn.execute("insert into albums values (1, 'blah')")
+        conn.commit()
+        conn.close()
+
+        new_lib = beets.library.Library(self.libfile,
+                                        item_fields=self.newer_fields)
+        albums = new_lib.conn.execute('select * from albums').fetchall()
+        self.assertEqual(len(albums), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(albums[0][1], 'blah')
+
+    def test_move_artist_to_albumartist(self):
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self.libfile)
+        conn.execute('drop table albums')
+        conn.execute('create table albums (id primary key, artist)')
+        conn.execute("insert into albums values (1, 'theartist')")
+        conn.commit()
+        conn.close()
+
+        new_lib = beets.library.Library(self.libfile,
+                                        item_fields=self.newer_fields)
+        c = new_lib.conn.execute("select * from albums")
+        album = c.fetchone()
+        self.assertEqual(album['albumartist'], 'theartist')
+
 class AlbumInfoTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.lib = beets.library.Library(':memory:')
@@ -546,4 +574,3 @@ def suite():
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main(defaultTest='suite')
-
diff --git a/test/test_ui.py b/test/test_ui.py
index 6f92a484a..a719bf8a0 100644
--- a/test/test_ui.py
+++ b/test/test_ui.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class ListTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.lib = library.Library(':memory:')
         i = test_db.item()
         self.lib.add(i)
+        self.lib.add_album([i])
 
     def tearDown(self):
         self.io.restore()
@@ -42,12 +43,29 @@ class ListTest(unittest.TestCase):
         commands.list_items(self.lib, '', False)
         out = self.io.getoutput()
         self.assertTrue(u'the title' in out)
+
+    def test_list_album_outputs_something(self):
+        commands.list_items(self.lib, '', True)
+        out = self.io.getoutput()
+        self.assertGreater(len(out), 0)
     
     def test_list_album_omits_title(self):
         commands.list_items(self.lib, '', True)
         out = self.io.getoutput()
         self.assertTrue(u'the title' not in out)
+
+    def test_list_uses_track_artist(self):
+        commands.list_items(self.lib, '', False)
+        out = self.io.getoutput()
+        self.assertTrue(u'the artist' in out)
+        self.assertTrue(u'the album artist' not in out)
     
+    def test_list_album_uses_album_artist(self):
+        commands.list_items(self.lib, '', True)
+        out = self.io.getoutput()
+        self.assertTrue(u'the artist' not in out)
+        self.assertTrue(u'the album artist' in out)
+
 class PrintTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.io = _common.DummyIO()