diff --git a/beets/dbcore/db.py b/beets/dbcore/db.py
index c682f0c0c..83f0543d2 100755
--- a/beets/dbcore/db.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/db.py
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ from functools import cached_property
 from sqlite3 import Connection, sqlite_version_info
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, AnyStr, Generic
 
-from typing_extensions import TypeVar  # default value support
+from typing_extensions import (
+    Self,
+    TypeVar,  # default value support
+)
 from unidecode import unidecode
 
 import beets
@@ -84,6 +87,10 @@ class DBCustomFunctionError(Exception):
         )
 
 
+class NotFoundError(LookupError):
+    pass
+
+
 class FormattedMapping(Mapping[str, str]):
     """A `dict`-like formatted view of a model.
 
@@ -369,6 +376,14 @@ class Model(ABC, Generic[D]):
         """
         return self._check_db()
 
+    def get_fresh_from_db(self) -> Self:
+        """Load this object from the database."""
+        model_cls = self.__class__
+        if obj := self.db._get(model_cls, self.id):
+            return obj
+
+        raise NotFoundError(f"No matching {model_cls.__name__} found") from None
+
     @classmethod
     def _getters(cls: type[Model]):
         """Return a mapping from field names to getter functions."""
@@ -656,11 +671,8 @@ class Model(ABC, Generic[D]):
         if not self._dirty and self.db.revision == self._revision:
             # Exit early
             return
-        stored_obj = self.db._get(type(self), self.id)
-        assert stored_obj is not None, f"object {self.id} not in DB"
-        self._values_fixed = LazyConvertDict(self)
-        self._values_flex = LazyConvertDict(self)
-        self.update(dict(stored_obj))
+
+        self.__dict__.update(self.get_fresh_from_db().__dict__)
         self.clear_dirty()
 
     def remove(self):
@@ -1309,12 +1321,6 @@ class Database:
             sort if sort.is_slow() else None,  # Slow sort component.
         )
 
-    def _get(
-        self,
-        model_cls: type[AnyModel],
-        id,
-    ) -> AnyModel | None:
-        """Get a Model object by its id or None if the id does not
-        exist.
-        """
-        return self._fetch(model_cls, MatchQuery("id", id)).get()
+    def _get(self, model_cls: type[AnyModel], id_: int) -> AnyModel | None:
+        """Get a Model object by its id or None if the id does not exist."""
+        return self._fetch(model_cls, MatchQuery("id", id_)).get()
diff --git a/beets/library/library.py b/beets/library/library.py
index 7370f7ecd..39d559901 100644
--- a/beets/library/library.py
+++ b/beets/library/library.py
@@ -125,24 +125,20 @@ class Library(dbcore.Database):
         return self._fetch(Item, query, sort or self.get_default_item_sort())
 
     # Convenience accessors.
-
-    def get_item(self, id):
+    def get_item(self, id_: int) -> Item | None:
         """Fetch a :class:`Item` by its ID.
 
         Return `None` if no match is found.
         """
-        return self._get(Item, id)
+        return self._get(Item, id_)
 
-    def get_album(self, item_or_id):
+    def get_album(self, item_or_id: Item | int) -> Album | None:
         """Given an album ID or an item associated with an album, return
         a :class:`Album` object for the album.
 
         If no such album exists, return `None`.
         """
-        if isinstance(item_or_id, int):
-            album_id = item_or_id
-        else:
-            album_id = item_or_id.album_id
-        if album_id is None:
-            return None
-        return self._get(Album, album_id)
+        album_id = (
+            item_or_id if isinstance(item_or_id, int) else item_or_id.album_id
+        )
+        return self._get(Album, album_id) if album_id else None
diff --git a/beets/library/models.py b/beets/library/models.py
index 76618d929..9609989bc 100644
--- a/beets/library/models.py
+++ b/beets/library/models.py
@@ -620,6 +620,8 @@ class Album(LibModel):
 class Item(LibModel):
     """Represent a song or track."""
 
+    album_id: int | None
+
     _table = "items"
     _flex_table = "item_attributes"
     _fields = {
diff --git a/beets/ui/__init__.py b/beets/ui/__init__.py
index cfd8b6bd7..cbe0fb109 100644
--- a/beets/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/ui/__init__.py
@@ -1073,7 +1073,7 @@ def show_model_changes(
     restrict the detection to. `always` indicates whether the object is
     always identified, regardless of whether any changes are present.
     """
-    old = old or new._db._get(type(new), new.id)
+    old = old or new.get_fresh_from_db()
 
     # Keep the formatted views around instead of re-creating them in each
     # iteration step