diff --git a/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.cpp b/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.cpp
index 08e5f411..8e58a1d3 100644
--- a/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.cpp
+++ b/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public:
   ~TagPrivate() {}
   TagLib::File *file;
   Atoms *atoms;
-  ItemListMap items;
+  ItemMap items;
 };
 
 MP4::Tag::Tag()
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ bool
 MP4::Tag::save()
 {
   ByteVector data;
-  for(MP4::ItemListMap::Iterator i = d->items.begin(); i != d->items.end(); i++) {
+  for(MP4::ItemMap::Iterator i = d->items.begin(); i != d->items.end(); i++) {
     const String name = i->first;
     if(name.startsWith("----")) {
       data.append(renderFreeForm(name, i->second));
@@ -765,12 +765,36 @@ bool MP4::Tag::isEmpty() const
   return d->items.isEmpty();
 }
 
-MP4::ItemListMap &
-MP4::Tag::itemListMap()
+MP4::ItemMap &MP4::Tag::itemListMap()
 {
   return d->items;
 }
 
+const MP4::ItemMap &MP4::Tag::itemMap() const
+{
+  return d->items;
+}
+
+MP4::Item MP4::Tag::item(const String &key) const
+{
+  return d->items[key];
+}
+
+void MP4::Tag::setItem(const String &key, const Item &value)
+{
+  d->items[key] = value;
+}
+
+void MP4::Tag::removeItem(const String &key)
+{
+  d->items.erase(key);
+}
+
+bool MP4::Tag::contains(const String &key) const
+{
+  return d->items.contains(key);
+}
+
 static const char *keyTranslation[][2] = {
   { "\251nam", "TITLE" },
   { "\251ART", "ARTIST" },
@@ -832,7 +856,7 @@ PropertyMap MP4::Tag::properties() const
   }
 
   PropertyMap props;
-  MP4::ItemListMap::ConstIterator it = d->items.begin();
+  MP4::ItemMap::ConstIterator it = d->items.begin();
   for(; it != d->items.end(); ++it) {
     if(keyMap.contains(it->first)) {
       String key = keyMap[it->first];
diff --git a/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.h b/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.h
index cde68964..f74cb7cd 100644
--- a/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.h
+++ b/taglib/mp4/mp4tag.h
@@ -39,7 +39,11 @@ namespace TagLib {
 
   namespace MP4 {
 
+    /*!
+     * \deprecated
+     */
     typedef TagLib::Map<String, Item> ItemListMap;
+    typedef TagLib::Map<String, Item> ItemMap;
 
     class TAGLIB_EXPORT Tag: public TagLib::Tag
     {
@@ -67,7 +71,36 @@ namespace TagLib {
 
         virtual bool isEmpty() const;
 
-        ItemListMap &itemListMap();
+        /*!
+         * \deprecated Use the item() and setItem() API instead
+         */
+        ItemMap &itemListMap();
+
+        /*!
+         * Returns a string-keyed map of the MP4::Items for this tag.
+         */
+        const ItemMap &itemMap() const;
+
+        /*!
+         * \return The item, if any, corresponding to \a key.
+         */
+        Item item(const String &key) const;
+
+        /*!
+         * Sets the value of \a key to \a value, overwriting any previous value.
+         */
+        void setItem(const String &key, const Item &value);
+
+        /*!
+         * Removes the entry with \a key from the tag, or does nothing if it does
+         * not exist.
+         */
+        void removeItem(const String &key);
+
+        /*!
+         * \return True if the tag contains an entry for \a key.
+         */
+        bool contains(const String &key) const;
 
         PropertyMap properties() const;
         void removeUnsupportedProperties(const StringList& properties);
diff --git a/tests/test_mp4.cpp b/tests/test_mp4.cpp
index 9bd2deb7..dd6e3a03 100644
--- a/tests/test_mp4.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_mp4.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public:
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT(!t1.isEmpty());
 
     MP4::Tag t2;
-    t2.itemListMap()["foo"] = "bar";
+    t2.setItem("foo", "bar");
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT(!t2.isEmpty());
   }
 
@@ -128,14 +128,15 @@ public:
     string filename = copy.fileName();
 
     MP4::File *f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->itemListMap().contains("----:com.apple.iTunes:iTunNORM"));
-    f->tag()->itemListMap()["----:org.kde.TagLib:Foo"] = StringList("Bar");
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->contains("----:com.apple.iTunes:iTunNORM"));
+    f->tag()->setItem("----:org.kde.TagLib:Foo", StringList("Bar"));
     f->save();
     delete f;
 
     f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->itemListMap().contains("----:org.kde.TagLib:Foo"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("Bar"), f->tag()->itemListMap()["----:org.kde.TagLib:Foo"].toStringList()[0]);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->contains("----:org.kde.TagLib:Foo"));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("Bar"),
+                         f->tag()->item("----:org.kde.TagLib:Foo").toStringList().front());
     f->save();
     delete f;
   }
@@ -146,14 +147,16 @@ public:
     string filename = copy.fileName();
 
     MP4::File *f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("82,164"), f->tag()->itemListMap()["----:com.apple.iTunes:replaygain_track_minmax"].toStringList()[0]);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("82,164"),
+                         f->tag()->item("----:com.apple.iTunes:replaygain_track_minmax").toStringList().front());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("Pearl Jam"), f->tag()->artist());
     f->tag()->setComment("foo");
     f->save();
     delete f;
 
     f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("82,164"), f->tag()->itemListMap()["----:com.apple.iTunes:replaygain_track_minmax"].toStringList()[0]);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("82,164"),
+                         f->tag()->item("----:com.apple.iTunes:replaygain_track_minmax").toStringList().front());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("Pearl Jam"), f->tag()->artist());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(String("foo"), f->tag()->comment());
     delete f;
@@ -165,20 +168,20 @@ public:
     string filename = copy.fileName();
 
     MP4::File *f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f->tag()->itemListMap()["cpil"].toBool());
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f->tag()->itemMap()["cpil"].toBool());
 
     MP4::Atoms *atoms = new MP4::Atoms(f);
     MP4::Atom *moov = atoms->atoms[0];
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(long(77), moov->length);
 
-    f->tag()->itemListMap()["pgap"] = true;
+    f->tag()->setItem("pgap", true);
     f->save();
     delete atoms;
     delete f;
 
     f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f->tag()->itemListMap()["cpil"].toBool());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f->tag()->itemListMap()["pgap"].toBool());
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f->tag()->item("cpil").toBool());
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f->tag()->item("pgap").toBool());
 
     atoms = new MP4::Atoms(f);
     moov = atoms->atoms[0];
@@ -198,8 +201,8 @@ public:
   void testCovrRead()
   {
     MP4::File *f = new MP4::File(TEST_FILE_PATH_C("has-tags.m4a"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->itemListMap().contains("covr"));
-    MP4::CoverArtList l = f->tag()->itemListMap()["covr"].toCoverArtList();
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->contains("covr"));
+    MP4::CoverArtList l = f->tag()->item("covr").toCoverArtList();
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(TagLib::uint(2), l.size());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(MP4::CoverArt::PNG, l[0].format());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(TagLib::uint(79), l[0].data().size());
@@ -214,16 +217,16 @@ public:
     string filename = copy.fileName();
 
     MP4::File *f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->itemListMap().contains("covr"));
-    MP4::CoverArtList l = f->tag()->itemListMap()["covr"].toCoverArtList();
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->contains("covr"));
+    MP4::CoverArtList l = f->tag()->item("covr").toCoverArtList();
     l.append(MP4::CoverArt(MP4::CoverArt::PNG, "foo"));
-    f->tag()->itemListMap()["covr"] = l;
+    f->tag()->setItem("covr", l);
     f->save();
     delete f;
 
     f = new MP4::File(filename.c_str());
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->itemListMap().contains("covr"));
-    l = f->tag()->itemListMap()["covr"].toCoverArtList();
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->contains("covr"));
+    l = f->tag()->item("covr").toCoverArtList();
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(TagLib::uint(3), l.size());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(MP4::CoverArt::PNG, l[0].format());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(TagLib::uint(79), l[0].data().size());
@@ -237,8 +240,8 @@ public:
   void testCovrRead2()
   {
     MP4::File *f = new MP4::File(TEST_FILE_PATH_C("covr-junk.m4a"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->itemListMap().contains("covr"));
-    MP4::CoverArtList l = f->tag()->itemListMap()["covr"].toCoverArtList();
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f->tag()->contains("covr"));
+    MP4::CoverArtList l = f->tag()->item("covr").toCoverArtList();
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(TagLib::uint(2), l.size());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(MP4::CoverArt::PNG, l[0].format());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(TagLib::uint(79), l[0].data().size());
@@ -264,26 +267,26 @@ public:
 
     tags = f.properties();
 
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->itemListMap().contains("trkn"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(2, f.tag()->itemListMap()["trkn"].toIntPair().first);
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(4, f.tag()->itemListMap()["trkn"].toIntPair().second);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->contains("trkn"));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(2, f.tag()->item("trkn").toIntPair().first);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(4, f.tag()->item("trkn").toIntPair().second);
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("2/4"), tags["TRACKNUMBER"]);
 
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->itemListMap().contains("disk"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(3, f.tag()->itemListMap()["disk"].toIntPair().first);
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(5, f.tag()->itemListMap()["disk"].toIntPair().second);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->contains("disk"));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(3, f.tag()->item("disk").toIntPair().first);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(5, f.tag()->item("disk").toIntPair().second);
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("3/5"), tags["DISCNUMBER"]);
 
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->itemListMap().contains("tmpo"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(123, f.tag()->itemListMap()["tmpo"].toInt());
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->contains("tmpo"));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(123, f.tag()->item("tmpo").toInt());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("123"), tags["BPM"]);
 
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->itemListMap().contains("\251ART"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("Foo Bar"), f.tag()->itemListMap()["\251ART"].toStringList());
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->contains("\251ART"));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("Foo Bar"), f.tag()->item("\251ART").toStringList());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("Foo Bar"), tags["ARTIST"]);
 
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->itemListMap().contains("cpil"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f.tag()->itemListMap()["cpil"].toBool());
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->contains("cpil"));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(true, f.tag()->item("cpil").toBool());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("1"), tags["COMPILATION"]);
 
     tags["COMPILATION"] = StringList("0");
@@ -291,8 +294,8 @@ public:
 
     tags = f.properties();
 
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->itemListMap().contains("cpil"));
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(false, f.tag()->itemListMap()["cpil"].toBool());
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(f.tag()->contains("cpil"));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(false, f.tag()->item("cpil").toBool());
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(StringList("0"), tags["COMPILATION"]);
   }