diff --git a/beetsplug/bpd/__init__.py b/beetsplug/bpd/__init__.py
index 8d90b5cf6..ab515b388 100644
--- a/beetsplug/bpd/__init__.py
+++ b/beetsplug/bpd/__init__.py
@@ -583,23 +583,25 @@ class BaseServer(object):
         """Indicates supported URL schemes. None by default."""
         pass
 
-    def cmd_playlistinfo(self, conn, index=-1):
+    def cmd_playlistinfo(self, conn, index=None):
         """Gives metadata information about the entire playlist or a
         single track, given by its index.
         """
-        index = cast_arg(int, index)
-        if index == -1:
+        if index is None:
             for track in self.playlist:
                 yield self._item_info(track)
         else:
+            indices = self._parse_range(index, accept_single_number=True)
             try:
-                track = self.playlist[index]
+                tracks = [self.playlist[i] for i in indices]
             except IndexError:
                 raise ArgumentIndexError()
-            yield self._item_info(track)
+            for track in tracks:
+                yield self._item_info(track)
 
-    def cmd_playlistid(self, conn, track_id=-1):
-        if track_id != -1:
+    def cmd_playlistid(self, conn, track_id=None):
+        if track_id is not None:
+            track_id = cast_arg(int, track_id)
             track_id = self._id_to_index(track_id)
         return self.cmd_playlistinfo(conn, track_id)
 
@@ -1139,6 +1141,21 @@ class Server(BaseServer):
 
         return info_lines
 
+    def _parse_range(self, items, accept_single_number=False):
+        """Convert a range of positions to a list of item info.
+        MPD specifies ranges as START:STOP (endpoint excluded) for some
+        commands. Sometimes a single number can be provided instead.
+        """
+        try:
+            start, stop = str(items).split(':', 1)
+        except ValueError:
+            if accept_single_number:
+                return [cast_arg(int, items)]
+            raise BPDError(ERROR_ARG, u'bad range syntax')
+        start = cast_arg(int, start)
+        stop = cast_arg(int, stop)
+        return range(start, stop)
+
     def _item_id(self, item):
         return item.id
 
diff --git a/test/test_player.py b/test/test_player.py
index 9bd75519f..735f9c62c 100644
--- a/test/test_player.py
+++ b/test/test_player.py
@@ -339,8 +339,9 @@ class BPDTestHelper(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
             previous_commands = response[0:pos]
             self._assert_ok(*previous_commands)
             response = response[pos]
-            self.assertEqual(pos, response.err_data[1])
         self.assertFalse(response.ok)
+        if pos is not None:
+            self.assertEqual(pos, response.err_data[1])
         if code is not None:
             self.assertEqual(code, response.err_data[0])
 
@@ -781,12 +782,15 @@ class BPDQueueTest(BPDTestHelper):
 
     def test_cmd_playlistinfo(self):
         with self.run_bpd() as client:
-            self._bpd_add(client, self.item1)
+            self._bpd_add(client, self.item1, self.item2)
             responses = client.send_commands(
                     ('playlistinfo',),
                     ('playlistinfo', '0'),
+                    ('playlistinfo', '0:2'),
                     ('playlistinfo', '200'))
-        self._assert_failed(responses, bpd.ERROR_ARG, pos=2)
+        self._assert_failed(responses, bpd.ERROR_ARG, pos=3)
+        self.assertEqual('1', responses[1].data['Id'])
+        self.assertEqual(['1', '2'], responses[2].data['Id'])
 
     def test_cmd_playlistinfo_tagtypes(self):
         with self.run_bpd() as client: