diff --git a/beets/ui/__init__.py b/beets/ui/__init__.py
index 1ace2f0b3..956eae41a 100644
--- a/beets/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/ui/__init__.py
@@ -480,25 +480,6 @@ def get_replacements():
     return replacements
 
 
-def format_(obj, fmt):
-    """Print a object, intended for Album and Item
-
-    This is equivalent to `format`, but the spec can be None
-    `fmt` is mandatory for otherwise one can just call `format(my_object)`"""
-    if fmt:
-        return format(obj, fmt)
-    else:
-        return format(obj)
-
-
-def print_obj(obj, fmt):
-    """Print a object, intended for Album and Item
-
-    This is equivalent to `print_ o format`, but the spec can be None
-    `fmt` is mandatory for otherwise one can just call `print_(my_object)`"""
-    return print_(format_(obj, fmt))
-
-
 def term_width():
     """Get the width (columns) of the terminal."""
     fallback = config['ui']['terminal_width'].get(int)
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 8fccc47a8..4f2c017dc 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -952,17 +952,14 @@ def list_items(lib, query, album, fmt):
     """
     if album:
         for album in lib.albums(query):
-            ui.print_obj(album, fmt)
+            ui.print_(format(album, fmt))
     else:
         for item in lib.items(query):
-            ui.print_obj(item, fmt)
+            ui.print_(format(item, fmt))
 
 
 def list_func(lib, opts, args):
-    if opts.path:
-        fmt = '$path'
-    else:
-        fmt = opts.format
+    fmt = '$path' if opts.path else opts.format
     list_items(lib, decargs(args), opts.album, fmt)
 
 
@@ -977,7 +974,7 @@ list_cmd.parser.add_option(
 )
 list_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-f', '--format', action='store',
-    help='print with custom format', default=None
+    help='print with custom format', default=''
 )
 list_cmd.func = list_func
 default_commands.append(list_cmd)
@@ -1093,7 +1090,7 @@ update_cmd.parser.add_option(
 )
 update_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-f', '--format', action='store',
-    help='print with custom format', default=None
+    help='print with custom format', default=''
 )
 update_cmd.func = update_func
 default_commands.append(update_cmd)
@@ -1114,13 +1111,13 @@ def remove_items(lib, query, album, delete):
         fmt = u'$path - $title'
         prompt = 'Really DELETE %i files (y/n)?' % len(items)
     else:
-        fmt = None
+        fmt = ''
         prompt = 'Really remove %i items from the library (y/n)?' % \
                  len(items)
 
     # Show all the items.
     for item in items:
-        ui.print_obj(item, fmt)
+        ui.print_(format(item, fmt))
 
     # Confirm with user.
     if not ui.input_yn(prompt, True):
@@ -1350,7 +1347,7 @@ modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
 )
 modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
     '-f', '--format', action='store',
-    help='print with custom format', default=None
+    help='print with custom format', default=''
 )
 modify_cmd.func = modify_func
 default_commands.append(modify_cmd)
diff --git a/beetsplug/convert.py b/beetsplug/convert.py
index baf084423..4274448ad 100644
--- a/beetsplug/convert.py
+++ b/beetsplug/convert.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ class ConvertPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             self.config['pretend'].get(bool)
 
         if not pretend:
-            ui.commands.list_items(lib, ui.decargs(args), opts.album, None)
+            ui.commands.list_items(lib, ui.decargs(args), opts.album, '')
 
             if not (opts.yes or ui.input_yn("Convert? (Y/n)")):
                 return
diff --git a/beetsplug/duplicates.py b/beetsplug/duplicates.py
index ea235295c..ac5b19c17 100644
--- a/beetsplug/duplicates.py
+++ b/beetsplug/duplicates.py
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@
 import shlex
 
 from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
-from beets.ui import decargs, print_obj, vararg_callback, Subcommand, UserError
+from beets.ui import decargs, print_, vararg_callback, Subcommand, UserError
 from beets.util import command_output, displayable_path, subprocess
 
 PLUGIN = 'duplicates'
 
 
 def _process_item(item, lib, copy=False, move=False, delete=False,
-                  tag=False, format=None):
+                  tag=False, format=''):
     """Process Item `item` in `lib`.
     """
     if copy:
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def _process_item(item, lib, copy=False, move=False, delete=False,
             raise UserError('%s: can\'t parse k=v tag: %s' % (PLUGIN, tag))
         setattr(k, v)
         item.store()
-    print_obj(item, format)
+    print_(format(item, format))
 
 
 def _checksum(item, prog, log):
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ class DuplicatesPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         self._command.parser.add_option('-f', '--format', dest='format',
                                         action='store', type='string',
                                         help='print with custom format',
-                                        metavar='FMT')
+                                        metavar='FMT', default='')
 
         self._command.parser.add_option('-a', '--album', dest='album',
                                         action='store_true',
diff --git a/beetsplug/echonest.py b/beetsplug/echonest.py
index 4de578916..fc66ad775 100644
--- a/beetsplug/echonest.py
+++ b/beetsplug/echonest.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def similar(lib, src_item, threshold=0.15, fmt='${difference}: ${path}'):
             d = diff(item, src_item)
             if d < threshold:
                 s = fmt.replace('${difference}', '{:2.2f}'.format(d))
-                ui.print_obj(item, s)
+                ui.print_(format(item, s))
 
 
 class EchonestMetadataPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin):
diff --git a/beetsplug/mbsync.py b/beetsplug/mbsync.py
index 6c20140d3..aea50fd15 100644
--- a/beetsplug/mbsync.py
+++ b/beetsplug/mbsync.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class MBSyncPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         cmd.parser.add_option('-W', '--nowrite', action='store_false',
                               default=config['import']['write'], dest='write',
                               help="don't write updated metadata to files")
-        cmd.parser.add_option('-f', '--format', action='store', default=None,
+        cmd.parser.add_option('-f', '--format', action='store', default='',
                               help='print with custom format')
         cmd.func = self.func
         return [cmd]
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class MBSyncPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         query.
         """
         for item in lib.items(query + ['singleton:true']):
-            item_formatted = ui.format_(item, fmt)
+            item_formatted = format(item, fmt)
             if not item.mb_trackid:
                 self._log.info(u'Skipping singleton with no mb_trackid: {0}',
                                item_formatted)
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class MBSyncPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         """
         # Process matching albums.
         for a in lib.albums(query):
-            album_formatted = ui.format_(a, fmt)
+            album_formatted = format(a, fmt)
             if not a.mb_albumid:
                 self._log.info(u'Skipping album with no mb_albumid: {0}',
                                album_formatted)
diff --git a/beetsplug/missing.py b/beetsplug/missing.py
index 8abcdc125..1748c731d 100644
--- a/beetsplug/missing.py
+++ b/beetsplug/missing.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from beets.autotag import hooks
 from beets.library import Item
 from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
-from beets.ui import decargs, print_obj, Subcommand
+from beets.ui import decargs, print_, Subcommand
 
 
 def _missing_count(album):
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class MissingPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         self._command.parser.add_option('-f', '--format', dest='format',
                                         action='store', type='string',
                                         help='print with custom FORMAT',
-                                        metavar='FORMAT')
+                                        metavar='FORMAT', default='')
 
         self._command.parser.add_option('-c', '--count', dest='count',
                                         action='store_true',
@@ -123,13 +123,12 @@ class MissingPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
 
             for album in albums:
                 if count:
-                    missing = _missing_count(album)
-                    if missing:
-                        print_obj(album, fmt)
+                    if _missing_count(album):
+                        print_(format(album, fmt))
 
                 else:
                     for item in self._missing(album):
-                        print_obj(item, fmt)
+                        print_(format(item, fmt))
 
         self._command.func = _miss
         return [self._command]
diff --git a/beetsplug/random.py b/beetsplug/random.py
index 668f08b2f..fefe46aaf 100644
--- a/beetsplug/random.py
+++ b/beetsplug/random.py
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@
 """
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
-from beets.ui import Subcommand, decargs, print_obj
-from beets.util.functemplate import Template
+from beets.ui import Subcommand, decargs, print_
 import random
 from operator import attrgetter
 from itertools import groupby
@@ -25,11 +24,7 @@ from itertools import groupby
 
 def random_item(lib, opts, args):
     query = decargs(args)
-    if opts.path:
-        fmt = '$path'
-    else:
-        fmt = opts.format
-    template = Template(fmt) if fmt else None
+    fmt = '$path' if opts.path else opts.format
 
     if opts.album:
         objs = list(lib.albums(query))
@@ -66,7 +61,7 @@ def random_item(lib, opts, args):
         objs = random.sample(objs, number)
 
     for item in objs:
-        print_obj(item, template)
+        print_(format(item, fmt))
 
 random_cmd = Subcommand('random',
                         help='chose a random track or album')
@@ -75,7 +70,7 @@ random_cmd.parser.add_option('-a', '--album', action='store_true',
 random_cmd.parser.add_option('-p', '--path', action='store_true',
                              help='print the path of the matched item')
 random_cmd.parser.add_option('-f', '--format', action='store',
-                             help='print with custom format', default=None)
+                             help='print with custom format', default='')
 random_cmd.parser.add_option('-n', '--number', action='store', type="int",
                              help='number of objects to choose', default=1)
 random_cmd.parser.add_option('-e', '--equal-chance', action='store_true',
diff --git a/test/test_ui.py b/test/test_ui.py
index e32f9ed83..162694565 100644
--- a/test/test_ui.py
+++ b/test/test_ui.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class ListTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.lib.add(self.item)
         self.lib.add_album([self.item])
 
-    def _run_list(self, query='', album=False, path=False, fmt=None):
+    def _run_list(self, query='', album=False, path=False, fmt=''):
         commands.list_items(self.lib, query, album, fmt)
 
     def test_list_outputs_item(self):