diff --git a/beets/ui/__init__.py b/beets/ui/__init__.py
index c3fb162e3..a4afa0579 100644
--- a/beets/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/ui/__init__.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from beets.util.functemplate import Template
 
 
 # On Windows platforms, use colorama to support "ANSI" terminal colors.
+
 if sys.platform == 'win32':
     try:
         import colorama
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ if sys.platform == 'win32':
 
 
 # Constants.
+
 CONFIG_PATH_VAR = 'BEETSCONFIG'
 DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILENAME_UNIX = '.beetsconfig'
 DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILENAME_WINDOWS = 'beetsconfig.ini'
@@ -70,6 +72,9 @@ DEFAULT_PATH_FORMATS = [
 DEFAULT_ART_FILENAME = 'cover'
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 5.0
 NULL_REPLACE = '<strip>'
+DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ITEM = '$artist - $album - $title'
+DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ALBUM = '$albumartist - $album'
+
 
 # UI exception. Commands should throw this in order to display
 # nonrecoverable errors to the user.
@@ -511,6 +516,35 @@ def _get_path_formats(config):
 
     return path_formats
 
+def _pick_format(config=None, album=False, fmt=None):
+    """Pick a format string for printing Album or Item objects,
+    falling back to config options and defaults.
+    """
+    if not fmt and not config:
+        fmt = DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ALBUM \
+              if album else DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ITEM
+    elif not fmt:
+        if album:
+            fmt = config_val(config, 'beets', 'list_format_album',
+                             DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ALBUM)
+        else:
+            fmt = config_val(config, 'beets', 'list_format_item',
+                             DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ITEM)
+    return fmt
+
+def print_obj(obj, lib, config, fmt=None):
+    """Print an Album or Item object. If `fmt` is specified, use that
+    format string. Otherwise, use the configured (or default) template.
+    """
+    album = isinstance(obj, library.Album)
+    if not fmt:
+        fmt = _pick_format(config, album=album)
+    template = Template(fmt)
+    if album:
+        print_(obj.evaluate_template(template))
+    else:
+        print_(obj.evaluate_template(template, lib=lib))
+
 
 # Subcommand parsing infrastructure.
 
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 5d957d2aa..864c54e62 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -40,9 +40,6 @@ log = logging.getLogger('beets')
 # objects that can be fed to a SubcommandsOptionParser.
 default_commands = []
 
-DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ITEM = '$artist - $album - $title'
-DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ALBUM = '$albumartist - $album'
-
 
 # Utilities.
 
@@ -87,35 +84,6 @@ def _showdiff(field, oldval, newval, color):
             oldval, newval = unicode(oldval), unicode(newval)
         print_(u'  %s: %s -> %s' % (field, oldval, newval))
 
-def _pick_format(config=None, album=False, fmt=None):
-    """Pick a format string for printing Album or Item objects,
-    falling back to config options and defaults.
-    """
-    if not fmt and not config:
-        fmt = DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ALBUM \
-              if album else DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ITEM
-    elif not fmt:
-        if album:
-            fmt = ui.config_val(config, 'beets', 'list_format_album',
-                                DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ALBUM)
-        else:
-            fmt = ui.config_val(config, 'beets', 'list_format_item',
-                                DEFAULT_LIST_FORMAT_ITEM)
-    return fmt
-
-def _print_obj(obj, lib, config, fmt=None):
-    """Print an Album or Item object. If `fmt` is specified, use that
-    format string. Otherwise, use the configured (or default) template.
-    """
-    album = isinstance(obj, library.Album)
-    if not fmt:
-        fmt = _pick_format(config, album=album)
-    template = Template(fmt)
-    if album:
-        print_(obj.evaluate_template(template))
-    else:
-        print_(obj.evaluate_template(template, lib=lib))
-
 
 # fields: Shows a list of available fields for queries and format strings.
 
@@ -870,7 +838,7 @@ list_cmd.parser.add_option('-p', '--path', action='store_true',
 list_cmd.parser.add_option('-f', '--format', action='store',
     help='print with custom format', default=None)
 def list_func(lib, config, opts, args):
-    fmt = _pick_format(config, opts.album, opts.format)
+    fmt = ui._pick_format(config, opts.album, opts.format)
     list_items(lib, decargs(args), opts.album, opts.path, fmt)
 list_cmd.func = list_func
 default_commands.append(list_cmd)
@@ -890,7 +858,7 @@ def update_items(lib, query, album, move, color, pretend, config):
         for item in items:
             # Item deleted?
             if not os.path.exists(syspath(item.path)):
-                _print_obj(item, lib, config)
+                ui.print_obj(item, lib, config)
                 if not pretend:
                     lib.remove(item, True)
                 affected_albums.add(item.album_id)
@@ -922,7 +890,7 @@ def update_items(lib, query, album, move, color, pretend, config):
                     changes[key] = old_data[key], getattr(item, key)
             if changes:
                 # Something changed.
-                _print_obj(item, lib, config)
+                ui.print_obj(item, lib, config)
                 for key, (oldval, newval) in changes.iteritems():
                     _showdiff(key, oldval, newval, color)
 
@@ -995,7 +963,7 @@ def remove_items(lib, query, album, delete, config):
 
     # Show all the items.
     for item in items:
-        _print_obj(item, lib, config)
+        ui.print_obj(item, lib, config)
 
     # Confirm with user.
     print_()
@@ -1112,7 +1080,7 @@ def modify_items(lib, mods, query, write, move, album, color, confirm,
     print_('Modifying %i %ss.' % (len(objs), 'album' if album else 'item'))
     for obj in objs:
         # Identify the changed object.
-        _print_obj(obj, lib, config)
+        ui.print_obj(obj, lib, config)
 
         # Show each change.
         for field, value in fsets.iteritems():