diff --git a/beetsplug/parentwork.py b/beetsplug/parentwork.py
index e2460e875..e4978ebf4 100644
--- a/beetsplug/parentwork.py
+++ b/beetsplug/parentwork.py
@@ -174,16 +174,16 @@ add one at https://musicbrainz.org/recording/{}', item, item.mb_trackid)
 
         hasparent = hasattr(item, 'parentwork')
         workfalse = True
-        if hasattr(item, 'mb_workid_current'):
+        if hasattr(item, 'parentwork_workid_current'):
             workfalse = item.mb_workid_current != item.mb_workid
-        if force or (not hasparent) or workfalse:
+        if force or not hasparent or workfalse:
             try:
                 work_info, work_date = find_parentwork_info(item.mb_workid)
             except musicbrainzngs.musicbrainz.WebServiceError as e:
                 self._log.debug("error fetching work: {}", e)
                 return
             parent_info = self.get_info(item, work_info)
-            parent_info['mb_workid_current'] = item.mb_workid
+            parent_info['parentwork_workid_current'] = item.mb_workid
             if 'parent_composer' in parent_info:
                 self._log.debug("Work fetched: {} - {}",
                                 parent_info['parentwork'],
@@ -207,4 +207,4 @@ add one at https://musicbrainz.org/recording/{}', item, item.mb_trackid)
             item, fields=['parentwork', 'parentwork_disambig',
                           'mb_parentworkid', 'parent_composer',
                           'parent_composer_sort', 'work_date',
-                          'mb_workid_current'])
+                          'parentwork_workid_current'])
diff --git a/docs/plugins/parentwork.rst b/docs/plugins/parentwork.rst
index 9707650b4..e25f01395 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/parentwork.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/parentwork.rst
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ example, all the movements of a symphony. This plugin aims to solve this
 problem by also fetching the parent work, which would be the whole symphony in
 this example.
 
-This plugin adds five tags:
+This plugin adds six tags:
 
 - **parentwork**: The title of the parent work.
 - **mb_parentworkid**: The musicbrainz id of the parent work.
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ This plugin adds five tags:
 - **parent_composer_sort**: The sort name of the parent work composer.
 - **work_date**: The composition date of the work, or the first parent work
   that has a composition date. Format: yyyy-mm-dd.
+- **parentwork_workid_current**: The musicbrainz id of the work as it was when
+  the parentwork was retrieved. This tag exists only for internal bookkeeping,
+  to keep track of recordings whose work have changed. 
 
 To use the ``parentwork`` plugin, enable it in your configuration (see
 :ref:`using-plugins`).