diff --git a/mopidy/mpd/serializer.py b/mopidy/mpd/serializer.py
index c88ef1c0..8ec34152 100644
--- a/mopidy/mpd/serializer.py
+++ b/mopidy/mpd/serializer.py
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ def track_artists_to_mpd_format(track):
     artists.sort(key=lambda a: a.name)
     return u', '.join([a.name for a in artists])
 
-def playlist_to_mpd_format(playlist, start=0, end=None, search_result=False):
+def tracks_to_mpd_format(tracks, start=0, end=None, search_result=False):
     """
-    Format playlist for output to MPD client.
+    Format list of tracks for output to MPD client.
 
-    Optionally limit output to the slice ``[start:end]`` of the playlist.
+    Optionally limit output to the slice ``[start:end]`` of the list.
 
-    :param playlist: the playlist
-    :type playlist: :class:`mopidy.models.Playlist`
+    :param tracks: the tracks
+    :type tracks: list of :class:`mopidy.models.Track`
     :param start: position of first track to include in output
     :type start: int (positive or negative)
     :param end: position after last track to include in output
@@ -55,17 +55,25 @@ def playlist_to_mpd_format(playlist, start=0, end=None, search_result=False):
     :rtype: list of lists of two-tuples
     """
     if start < 0:
-        range_start = playlist.length + start
+        range_start = len(tracks) + start
     else:
         range_start = start
     if end is not None and end < 0:
-        range_end = playlist.length - end
+        range_end = len(tracks) - end
     elif end is not None and end >= 0:
         range_end = end
     else:
-        range_end = playlist.length
-    tracks = []
-    for track, position in zip(playlist.tracks[start:end],
+        range_end = len(tracks)
+    result = []
+    for track, position in zip(tracks[start:end],
             range(range_start, range_end)):
-        tracks.append(track.mpd_format(position, search_result))
-    return tracks
+        result.append(track.mpd_format(position, search_result))
+    return result
+
+def playlist_to_mpd_format(playlist, *args, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Format playlist for output to MPD client.
+
+    Arguments as for :func:`tracks_to_mpd_format`, except the first one.
+    """
+    return tracks_to_mpd_format(playlist.tracks, *args, **kwargs)