diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 569d7d2b5..41e25984e 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -752,13 +752,17 @@ PARSE_QUERY_PART_REGEX = re.compile(
     re.I  # Case-insensitive.
 )
 
-def parse_query_part(part, query_classes={},
+def parse_query_part(part, query_classes={}, prefixes={},
                      default_class=dbcore.query.SubstringQuery):
     """Take a query in the form of a key/value pair separated by a
     colon and return a tuple of `(key, value, cls)`. `key` may be None,
     indicating that any field may be matched. `cls` is a subclass of
-    `FieldQuery`. The optional `query_classes` parameter maps field names
-    to default query types; `default_class` is the fallback.
+    `FieldQuery`.
+
+    The optional `query_classes` parameter maps field names to default
+    query types; `default_class` is the fallback. `prefixes` is a map
+    from query prefix markers and query types. Prefix-indicated queries
+    take precedence over type-based queries.
 
     To determine the query class, two factors are used: prefixes and
     field types. For example, the colon prefix denotes a regular
@@ -778,19 +782,18 @@ def parse_query_part(part, query_classes={},
     part = part.strip()
     match = PARSE_QUERY_PART_REGEX.match(part)
 
-    # FIXME parameterize
-    prefixes = {':': dbcore.query.RegexpQuery}
-    prefixes.update(plugins.queries())
+    assert match  # Regex should always match.
+    key = match.group(1)
+    term = match.group(2).replace('\:', ':')
 
-    if match:
-        key = match.group(1)
-        term = match.group(2).replace('\:', ':')
-        # Match the search term against the list of prefixes.
-        for pre, query_class in prefixes.items():
-            if term.startswith(pre):
-                return key, term[len(pre):], query_class
-        query_class = query_classes.get(key, default_class)
-        return key, term, query_class
+    # Match the search term against the list of prefixes.
+    for pre, query_class in prefixes.items():
+        if term.startswith(pre):
+            return key, term[len(pre):], query_class
+
+    # No matching prefix: use type-based or fallback/default query.
+    query_class = query_classes.get(key, default_class)
+    return key, term, query_class
 
 
 def construct_query_part(query_part, model_cls):
@@ -799,7 +802,9 @@ def construct_query_part(query_part, model_cls):
     `None` if the value cannot be parsed.
     """
     query_classes = dict((k, t.query) for (k, t) in model_cls._fields.items())
-    parsed = parse_query_part(query_part, query_classes)
+    prefixes = {':': dbcore.query.RegexpQuery}
+    prefixes.update(plugins.queries())
+    parsed = parse_query_part(query_part, query_classes, prefixes)
     if not parsed:
         return
 
diff --git a/test/test_query.py b/test/test_query.py
index d05470081..a37ad3851 100644
--- a/test/test_query.py
+++ b/test/test_query.py
@@ -19,58 +19,59 @@ from _common import unittest
 import beets.library
 from beets import dbcore
 
-pqp = beets.library.parse_query_part
-
-
-TEST_TYPES = {
-    'year': dbcore.query.NumericQuery
-}
 
 class QueryParseTest(_common.TestCase):
+    def pqp(self, part):
+        return beets.library.parse_query_part(
+            part,
+            {'year': dbcore.query.NumericQuery},
+            {':': dbcore.query.RegexpQuery},
+        )
+
     def test_one_basic_term(self):
         q = 'test'
         r = (None, 'test', dbcore.query.SubstringQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_one_keyed_term(self):
         q = 'test:val'
         r = ('test', 'val', dbcore.query.SubstringQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_colon_at_end(self):
         q = 'test:'
         r = (None, 'test:', dbcore.query.SubstringQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_one_basic_regexp(self):
         q = r':regexp'
         r = (None, 'regexp', dbcore.query.RegexpQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_keyed_regexp(self):
         q = r'test::regexp'
         r = ('test', 'regexp', dbcore.query.RegexpQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_escaped_colon(self):
         q = r'test\:val'
         r = (None, 'test:val', dbcore.query.SubstringQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_escaped_colon_in_regexp(self):
         q = r':test\:regexp'
         r = (None, 'test:regexp', dbcore.query.RegexpQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_single_year(self):
         q = 'year:1999'
         r = ('year', '1999', dbcore.query.NumericQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
     def test_multiple_years(self):
         q = 'year:1999..2010'
         r = ('year', '1999..2010', dbcore.query.NumericQuery)
-        self.assertEqual(pqp(q, TEST_TYPES), r)
+        self.assertEqual(self.pqp(q), r)
 
 
 class AnyFieldQueryTest(_common.LibTestCase):