diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 82ba4141d..16db1e974 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ class Item(LibModel):
 
         self.path = read_path
 
-    def write(self, path=None, tags=None):
+    def write(self, path=None, tags=None, id3v23=None):
         """Write the item's metadata to a media file.
 
         All fields in `_media_fields` are written to disk according to
@@ -623,6 +623,9 @@ class Item(LibModel):
         `tags` is a dictionary of additional metadata the should be
         written to the file. (These tags need not be in `_media_fields`.)
 
+        `id3v23` will override the global `id3v23` config option if it is
+        set to something other than `None`.
+
         Can raise either a `ReadError` or a `WriteError`.
         """
         if path is None:
@@ -630,6 +633,9 @@ class Item(LibModel):
         else:
             path = normpath(path)
 
+        if id3v23 is None:
+            id3v23 = beets.config['id3v23'].get(bool)
+
         # Get the data to write to the file.
         item_tags = dict(self)
         item_tags = {k: v for k, v in item_tags.items()
@@ -640,8 +646,7 @@ class Item(LibModel):
 
         # Open the file.
         try:
-            mediafile = MediaFile(syspath(path),
-                                  id3v23=beets.config['id3v23'].get(bool))
+            mediafile = MediaFile(syspath(path), id3v23=id3v23)
         except UnreadableFileError as exc:
             raise ReadError(path, exc)