diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 1b991cbe1..819645493 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -681,12 +681,11 @@ class BaseLibrary(object):
     # granularity. AlbumInfo proxy objects are used to access fields;
     # they invoke _album_get and _album_set.
 
-    def albuminfo(self, artist, album):
+    def albuminfo(self, item):
         """Given an artist and album name, return an AlbumInfo proxy
-        object whose attributes correspond to information about the
-        album.
+        object for the given item's album.
         """
-        return AlbumInfo(self, artist, album)
+        return AlbumInfo(self, item.artist, item.album)
 
     def _album_get(self, artist, album, key):
         """For the album specified, returns the value associated with
@@ -903,4 +902,26 @@ class Library(BaseLibrary):
               " ORDER BY artist, album, disc, track"
         c = self.conn.execute(sql, subvals)
         return ResultIterator(c, self)
+    
+    
+    # Album information.
 
+    def albuminfo(self, item):
+        # Lazily create a row in the albums table if one doesn't
+        # exist.
+        sql = 'SELECT id FROM albums WHERE artist=? AND album=?'
+        c = self.conn.execute(sql, (item.artist, item.album))
+        row = c.fetchone()
+        if not row:
+            sql = 'INSERT INTO albums (artist, album) VALUES (?, ?)'
+            self.conn.execute(sql, (item.artist, item.album))
+        return super(Library, self).albuminfo(item)
+
+    def _album_get(self, artist, album, key):
+        sql = 'SELECT %s FROM albums WHERE artist=? AND album=?' % key
+        c = self.conn.execute(sql, (artist, album))
+        return c.fetchone()[0]
+
+    def _album_set(self, artist, album, key, value):
+        sql = 'UPDATE albums SET %s=? WHERE artist=? AND album=?' % key
+        self.conn.execute(sql, (value, artist, album))
diff --git a/test/test_db.py b/test/test_db.py
index 48a29ef05..3cd386827 100644
--- a/test/test_db.py
+++ b/test/test_db.py
@@ -328,15 +328,71 @@ class AlbumInfoTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.lib.add(self.i)
 
     def test_albuminfo_reflects_metadata(self):
-        ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i.artist, self.i.album)
+        ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
         self.assertEqual(ai.artist, self.i.artist)
         self.assertEqual(ai.album, self.i.album)
 
     def test_albuminfo_stores_art(self):
-        ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i.artist, self.i.album)
+        ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
         ai.artpath = '/my/great/art'
-        new_ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i.artist, self.i.album)
+        new_ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
         self.assertEqual(new_ai.artpath, '/my/great/art')
+    
+    def test_albuminfo_removed_when_last_item_removed(self):
+        self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
+        c = self.lib.conn.cursor()
+        c.execute('select * from albums where album=?', (self.i.album,))
+        self.assertNotEqual(c.fetchone(), None)
+        
+        self.lib.remove(self.i)
+        
+        c = self.lib.conn.cursor()
+        c.execute('select * from albums where album=?', (self.i.album,))
+        self.assertEqual(c.fetchone(), None)
+    
+    def test_albuminfo_changes_when_item_field_changes(self):
+        self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
+        self.i.album = 'anotherAlbum'
+        self.lib.store(self.i)
+        
+        ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
+        self.assertEqual(ai.album, 'anotherAlbum')
+    
+    def test_old_albuminfo_removed_when_last_item_changes(self):
+        oldalbum = self.i.album
+        self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
+        self.i.album = 'anotherAlbum'
+        self.lib.store(self.i)
+        
+        c = self.lib.conn.cursor()
+        c.execute('select * from albums where album=?', (oldalbum,))
+        self.assertEqual(c.fetchone(), None)
+    
+    def test_splitting_album_leaves_albuminfo_for_both(self):
+        i2 = item()
+        self.lib.add(i2)
+        self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
+        self.lib.albuminfo(i2)
+        
+        i2.artist = 'anotherArtist'
+        self.lib.store(i2)
+        
+        ai = self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
+        self.assertEqual(ai.artist, self.i.artist)
+        ai = self.lib.albuminfo(i2)
+        self.assertEqual(ai.artist, 'anotherArtist')
+    
+    def test_albuminfo_for_two_items_doesnt_duplicate_row(self):
+        i2 = item()
+        self.lib.add(i2)
+        self.lib.albuminfo(self.i)
+        self.lib.albuminfo(i2)
+        
+        c = self.lib.conn.cursor()
+        c.execute('select * from albums where album=?', (self.i.album,))
+        # Cursor should only return one row.
+        self.assertNotEqual(c.fetchone(), None)
+        self.assertEqual(c.fetchone(), None)
 
 def suite():
     return unittest.TestLoader().loadTestsFromName(__name__)