diff --git a/beets/autotag/hooks.py b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
index 2c78749e6..444ae7b59 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/hooks.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
@@ -148,6 +148,16 @@ class AlbumInfo(AttrDict):
             for track in self.tracks:
                 track.decode(codec)
 
+    def dup_albuminfo(self):
+        dupe = AlbumInfo()
+        dupe.update(self)
+        if 'tracks' in self:
+            tracks = []
+            for track in self.tracks:
+                tracks.append(track.dup_trackinfo())
+            dupe.tracks = tracks
+        return dupe
+
 
 class TrackInfo(AttrDict):
     """Describes a canonical track present on a release. Appears as part
@@ -209,6 +219,10 @@ class TrackInfo(AttrDict):
             if isinstance(value, bytes):
                 setattr(self, fld, value.decode(codec, 'ignore'))
 
+    def dup_trackinfo(self):
+        dupe = TrackInfo()
+        dupe.update(self)
+
 
 # Candidate distance scoring.
 
diff --git a/test/test_autotag.py b/test/test_autotag.py
index 06e6b7e72..cef6364d0 100644
--- a/test/test_autotag.py
+++ b/test/test_autotag.py
@@ -753,32 +753,14 @@ class ApplyTest(_common.TestCase, ApplyTestUtil):
 
     def test_album_artist_overrides_empty_track_artist(self):
         # make a deepcopy of self.info
-        trackinfo = []
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[0])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[1])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        my_info = AlbumInfo()
-        my_info.update(self.info)
-        my_info.tracks = trackinfo
+        my_info = self.info.dup_albuminfo()
         self._apply(info=my_info)
         self.assertEqual(self.items[0].artist, 'artistNew')
         self.assertEqual(self.items[1].artist, 'artistNew')
 
     def test_album_artist_overridden_by_nonempty_track_artist(self):
         # make a deepcopy of self.info
-        trackinfo = []
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[0])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[1])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        my_info = AlbumInfo()
-        my_info.update(self.info)
-        my_info.tracks = trackinfo
+        my_info = self.info.dup_albuminfo()
         my_info.tracks[0].artist = 'artist1!'
         my_info.tracks[1].artist = 'artist2!'
         self._apply(info=my_info)
@@ -801,16 +783,7 @@ class ApplyTest(_common.TestCase, ApplyTestUtil):
 
     def test_full_date_applied(self):
         # make a deepcopy of self.info
-        trackinfo = []
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[0])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[1])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        my_info = AlbumInfo()
-        my_info.update(self.info)
-        my_info.tracks = trackinfo
+        my_info = self.info.dup_albuminfo()
         my_info.year = 2013
         my_info.month = 12
         my_info.day = 18
@@ -826,16 +799,7 @@ class ApplyTest(_common.TestCase, ApplyTestUtil):
         self.items.append(Item(year=4, month=5, day=6))
 
         # make a deepcopy of self.info
-        trackinfo = []
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[0])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[1])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        my_info = AlbumInfo()
-        my_info.update(self.info)
-        my_info.tracks = trackinfo
+        my_info = self.info.dup_albuminfo()
         my_info.year = 2013
         self._apply(info=my_info)
 
@@ -856,16 +820,7 @@ class ApplyTest(_common.TestCase, ApplyTestUtil):
 
     def test_data_source_applied(self):
         # make a deepcopy of self.info
-        trackinfo = []
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[0])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[1])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        my_info = AlbumInfo()
-        my_info.update(self.info)
-        my_info.tracks = trackinfo
+        my_info = self.info.dup_albuminfo()
         my_info.data_source = 'MusicBrainz'
         self._apply(info=my_info)
 
@@ -928,16 +883,7 @@ class ApplyCompilationTest(_common.TestCase, ApplyTestUtil):
 
     def test_va_flag_sets_comp(self):
         # make a deepcopy of self.info
-        trackinfo = []
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[0])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        track = TrackInfo()
-        track.update(self.info.tracks[1])
-        trackinfo.append(track)
-        va_info = AlbumInfo()
-        va_info.update(self.info)
-        va_info.tracks = trackinfo
+        va_info = self.info.dup_albuminfo()
         va_info.va = True
         self._apply(info=va_info)
         self.assertTrue(self.items[0].comp)