diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 69213ea97..fa2fc84af 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -1055,7 +1055,8 @@ def update_items(lib, query, album, move, pretend):
 
 
 def update_func(lib, opts, args):
-    update_items(lib, decargs(args), opts.album, opts.move, opts.pretend)
+    update_items(lib, decargs(args), opts.album, ui.should_move(opts.move),
+                 opts.pretend)
 
 
 update_cmd = ui.Subcommand(
@@ -1064,7 +1065,11 @@ update_cmd = ui.Subcommand(
 update_cmd.parser.add_album_option()
 update_cmd.parser.add_format_option()
 update_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-M', '--nomove', action='store_false', default=True, dest='move',
+    '-m', '--move', action='store_true', dest='move',
+    help="move files in the library directory"
+)
+update_cmd.parser.add_option(
+    '-M', '--nomove', action='store_false', dest='move',
     help="don't move files in library"
 )
 update_cmd.parser.add_option(
@@ -1294,14 +1299,18 @@ def modify_func(lib, opts, args):
     if not mods and not dels:
         raise ui.UserError('no modifications specified')
     modify_items(lib, mods, dels, query, ui.should_write(opts.write),
-                 opts.move, opts.album, not opts.yes)
+                 ui.should_move(opts.move), opts.album, not opts.yes)
 
 
 modify_cmd = ui.Subcommand(
     'modify', help='change metadata fields', aliases=('mod',)
 )
 modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
-    '-M', '--nomove', action='store_false', default=True, dest='move',
+    '-m', '--move', action='store_true', dest='move',
+    help="move files in the library directory"
+)
+modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
+    '-M', '--nomove', action='store_false', dest='move',
     help="don't move files in library"
 )
 modify_cmd.parser.add_option(
diff --git a/beetsplug/mbsync.py b/beetsplug/mbsync.py
index 03b79a48e..d44f8f773 100644
--- a/beetsplug/mbsync.py
+++ b/beetsplug/mbsync.py
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ class MBSyncPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
                             help='update metadata from musicbrainz')
         cmd.parser.add_option('-p', '--pretend', action='store_true',
                               help='show all changes but do nothing')
+        cmd.parser.add_option('-m', '--move', action='store_true',
+                              dest='move',
+                              help="move files in the library directory")
         cmd.parser.add_option('-M', '--nomove', action='store_false',
-                              default=True, dest='move',
+                              dest='move',
                               help="don't move files in library")
         cmd.parser.add_option('-W', '--nowrite', action='store_false',
                               default=None, dest='write',
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ class MBSyncPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
     def func(self, lib, opts, args):
         """Command handler for the mbsync function.
         """
-        move = opts.move
+        move = ui.should_move(opts.move)
         pretend = opts.pretend
         write = ui.should_write(opts.write)
         query = ui.decargs(args)
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 5864d5c38..1c1fb0db6 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ Changelog
 1.3.16 (in development)
 -----------------------
 
+New:
+
+* Three commands, ``modify``, ``update``, and ``mbsync``, would previously
+  move files by default after changing their metadata. Now, these commands
+  will only move files if you have the :ref:`config-import-copy` or
+  :ref:`config-import-move` options enabled in your importer configuration.
+  This way, if you configure the importer not to touch your filenames, other
+  commands will respect that decision by default too. Each command also
+  sprouted a ``--move`` command-line option to override this default (in
+  addition to the ``--nomove`` flag they already had). :bug:`1697`
+
 For developers:
 
 * :doc:`/dev/plugins`: Two new hooks, ``albuminfo_received`` and
diff --git a/docs/reference/config.rst b/docs/reference/config.rst
index 2d91bac14..7970d746c 100644
--- a/docs/reference/config.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/config.rst
@@ -370,6 +370,8 @@ Either ``yes`` or ``no``, controlling whether metadata (e.g., ID3) tags are
 written to files when using ``beet import``. Defaults to ``yes``. The ``-w``
 and ``-W`` command-line options override this setting.
 
+.. _config-import-copy:
+
 copy
 ~~~~
 
@@ -380,6 +382,8 @@ overridden with the ``-c`` and ``-C`` command-line options.
 The option is ignored if ``move`` is enabled (i.e., beets can move or
 copy files but it doesn't make sense to do both).
 
+.. _config-import-move:
+
 move
 ~~~~