diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cache.py b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
index a49b86af16..aeceafbb8b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cache.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
@@ -2208,13 +2208,13 @@ class Cache(object):
             self._restore_annotations(book_id, annotations)
 
     @read_api
-    def virtual_libraries_for_books(self, book_ids):
+    def virtual_libraries_for_books(self, book_ids, virtual_fields=None):
         if self.vls_for_books_cache is None:
             # Using a list is slightly faster than a set.
             c = defaultdict(list)
             libraries = self._pref('virtual_libraries', {})
             for lib, expr in libraries.items():
-                for book in self._search(expr):
+                for book in self._search(expr, virtual_fields=virtual_fields):
                     c[book].append(lib)
             self.vls_for_books_cache = {b:tuple(sorted(libs, key=sort_key)) for b, libs in c.items()}
         if not book_ids:
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/lazy.py b/src/calibre/db/lazy.py
index 9ad3aba57d..d2b7398f24 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/lazy.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/lazy.py
@@ -258,6 +258,11 @@ def composite_getter(mi, field, dbref, book_id, cache, formatter, template_cache
 
 
 def virtual_libraries_getter(dbref, book_id, cache):
+    '''
+    This method is deprecated because it doesn't (and can't) return virtual
+    library names when the VL search references marked books. It is replaced
+    by db.view.get_virtual_libraries_for_books()
+    '''
     try:
         return cache['virtual_libraries']
     except KeyError:
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/view.py b/src/calibre/db/view.py
index 1a9a5ef33d..fa4e297156 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/view.py
@@ -232,6 +232,10 @@ class View(object):
             ans = [':::'.join((adata[aid]['name'], adata[aid]['sort'], adata[aid]['link'])) for aid in ids if aid in adata]
         return ':#:'.join(ans) if ans else default_value
 
+    def get_virtual_libraries_for_books(self, ids):
+        return self.cache.virtual_libraries_for_books(
+            ids, virtual_fields={'marked':MarkedVirtualField(self.marked_ids)})
+
     def _do_sort(self, ids_to_sort, fields=(), subsort=False):
         fields = [(sanitize_sort_field_name(self.field_metadata, x), bool(y)) for x, y in fields]
         keys = self.field_metadata.sortable_field_keys()
@@ -377,7 +381,9 @@ class View(object):
         # This invalidates all searches in the cache even though the cache may
         # be shared by multiple views. This is not ideal, but...
         cmids = set(self.marked_ids)
-        self.cache.clear_search_caches(old_marked_ids | cmids)
+        changed_ids = old_marked_ids | cmids
+        self.cache.clear_search_caches(changed_ids)
+        self.refresh_ids(changed_ids)
         if old_marked_ids != cmids:
             for funcref in itervalues(self.marked_listeners):
                 func = funcref()
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
index 61af39c00c..275763af53 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
@@ -1714,7 +1714,9 @@ class BuiltinVirtualLibraries(BuiltinFormatterFunction):
 
     def evaluate(self, formatter, kwargs, mi, locals_):
         if hasattr(mi, '_proxy_metadata'):
-            return mi._proxy_metadata.virtual_libraries
+            from calibre.gui2.ui import get_gui
+            a = get_gui().current_db.data.get_virtual_libraries_for_books((mi.id,))
+            return ', '.join(a[mi.id])
         return _('This function can be used only in the GUI')