diff --git a/beetsplug/inline.py b/beetsplug/inline.py
index 860a205ee..55a9c0f5a 100644
--- a/beetsplug/inline.py
+++ b/beetsplug/inline.py
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ class InlineError(Exception):
         )
 
 
-def _compile_func(body):
+def _compile_func(body, args=""):
     """Given Python code for a function body, return a compiled
     callable that invokes that code.
     """
     body = body.replace("\n", "\n    ")
-    body = f"def {FUNC_NAME}():\n    {body}"
+    body = f"def {FUNC_NAME}({args}):\n    {body}"
     code = compile(body, "inline", "exec")
     env = {}
     eval(code, env)
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class InlinePlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         except SyntaxError:
             # Fall back to a function body.
             try:
-                func = _compile_func(python_code)
+                func = _compile_func(python_code, args="db_obj")
             except SyntaxError:
                 self._log.error(
                     "syntax error in inline field definition:\n{}",
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ class InlinePlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             # For expressions, just evaluate and return the result.
             def _expr_func(obj):
                 values = _dict_for(obj)
+                values["db_obj"] = obj
                 try:
                     return eval(code, values)
                 except Exception as exc:
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ class InlinePlugin(BeetsPlugin):
                 old_globals = dict(func.__globals__)
                 func.__globals__.update(_dict_for(obj))
                 try:
-                    return func()
+                    return func(obj)
                 except Exception as exc:
                     raise InlineError(python_code, exc)
                 finally:
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 1bd532ab9..cc278337f 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ New features
       after upgrading to trigger the migration. Only then you can safely move
       the library to a new location.
 
+- :doc:`plugins/inline`: Add access to the ``album`` or ``item`` object as
+  ``db_obj`` in inline fields.
+
 Bug fixes
 ~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/docs/plugins/inline.rst b/docs/plugins/inline.rst
index d653b6d52..a4e648183 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/inline.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/inline.rst
@@ -11,8 +11,11 @@ To use the ``inline`` plugin, enable it in your configuration (see
 Under this key, every line defines a new template field; the key is the name of
 the field (you'll use the name to refer to the field in your templates) and the
 value is a Python expression or function body. The Python code has all of a
-track's fields in scope, so you can refer to any normal attributes (such as
-``artist`` or ``title``) as Python variables.
+track's normal fields in scope, so you can refer to these attributes (such as
+``artist`` or ``title``) as Python variables. The Python code also has direct
+access to the item or album object as ``db_obj``. This allows use of computed
+fields and plugin fields, for example, ``db_obj.albumtotal``, or
+``db_obj.missing`` if the :doc:`/plugins/missing` plugin is enabled.
 
 Here are a couple of examples of expressions:
 
diff --git a/test/plugins/test_inline.py b/test/plugins/test_inline.py
index 79118bd06..8a62c7d41 100644
--- a/test/plugins/test_inline.py
+++ b/test/plugins/test_inline.py
@@ -60,3 +60,46 @@ class TestInlineRecursion(PluginTestCase):
 
         album = self.add_album_fixture()
         assert func(album) == len(list(album.items()))
+
+    def test_inline_album_expression_uses_items_via_obj(self):
+        plugin = InlinePlugin()
+        func = plugin.compile_inline(
+            "len(db_obj.items())", album=True, field_name="item_count"
+        )
+
+        album = self.add_album_fixture()
+        assert func(album) == len(list(album.items()))
+
+    def test_inline_function_body_item_field_via_obj(self):
+        plugin = InlinePlugin()
+        func = plugin.compile_inline(
+            "return db_obj.track + 1", album=False, field_name="next_track"
+        )
+
+        item = self.add_item_fixture(track=3)
+        assert func(item) == 4
+
+    def test_inline_obj_missing(self):
+        config["plugins"] = ["inline", "missing"]
+
+        config["album_fields"] = {"has_missing": ("bool(db_obj.missing)")}
+
+        plugins._instances.clear()
+        plugins.load_plugins()
+
+        album = self.add_album_fixture(track_count=1)
+        album.tracktotal = 3
+        for item in album.items():
+            item.tracktotal = 3
+            item.store()
+        album.store()
+        assert album._get("has_missing")
+
+    def test_inline_function_body_obj(self):
+        plugin = InlinePlugin()
+        func = plugin.compile_inline(
+            "return db_obj.title", album=False, field_name="title_value"
+        )
+
+        item = self.add_item_fixture(track=3)
+        assert func(item)