diff --git a/beetsplug/acousticbrainz.py b/beetsplug/acousticbrainz.py
index acc08488b..badb5728d 100644
--- a/beetsplug/acousticbrainz.py
+++ b/beetsplug/acousticbrainz.py
@@ -35,16 +35,17 @@ class AcousticPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin):
                             help="fetch metadata from AcousticBrainz")
 
         def func(lib, opts, args):
-            fetch_info(self._log, lib)
+            items = lib.items(ui.decargs(args))
+            fetch_info(self._log, items, ui.should_write())
 
         cmd.func = func
         return [cmd]
 
 
-def fetch_info(log, lib):
+def fetch_info(log, items, write):
     """Currently outputs MBID and corresponding request status code
     """
-    for item in lib.items():
+    for item in items:
         if item.mb_trackid:
             log.info('getting data for: {}', item)
 
@@ -79,7 +80,8 @@ def fetch_info(log, lib):
                 ["highlevel", "mood_party", "all", "party"],
             )
 
-            item.write()
+            if write:
+                item.try_write()
             item.store()
 
 
diff --git a/docs/plugins/acousticbrainz.rst b/docs/plugins/acousticbrainz.rst
index 71dc462d8..8e15716a5 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/acousticbrainz.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/acousticbrainz.rst
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ The ``acoustricbrainz`` plugin gets acoustic-analysis information from the
 
 Enable the ``acousticbrainz`` plugin in your configuration (see :ref:`using-plugins`) and run it by typing::
 
-    $ beet acousticbrainz
+    $ beet acousticbrainz [QUERY]
 
 For all tracks with a MusicBrainz recording ID, the plugin currently sets
 these fields: