diff --git a/src/calibre/db/backend.py b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
index 365b7c4222..bb15f97407 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/backend.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
@@ -972,6 +972,9 @@ class DB:
     def notes_for(self, field_name, item_id):
         return self.notes.get_note(self.conn, field_name, item_id) or ''
 
+    def notes_data_for(self, field_name, item_id):
+        return self.notes.get_note_data(self.conn, field_name, item_id)
+
     def set_notes_for(self, field, item_id, doc: str, searchable_text: str, resource_hashes, remove_unused_resources) -> int:
         id_val = self.tables[field].id_map[item_id]
         note_id = self.notes.set_note(self.conn, field, item_id, id_val, doc, resource_hashes, searchable_text)
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cache.py b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
index 7263924f63..d9733c75ff 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cache.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
@@ -680,6 +680,11 @@ class Cache:
     def notes_for(self, field, item_id) -> str:
         return self.backend.notes_for(field, item_id)
 
+    @read_api
+    def notes_data_for(self, field, item_id) -> str:
+        ' Return all notes data as a dict or None if note does not exist '
+        return self.backend.notes_data_for(field, item_id)
+
     @write_api
     def set_notes_for(self, field, item_id, doc: str, searchable_text: str = copy_marked_up_text, resource_hashes=(), remove_unused_resources=False) -> int:
         return self.backend.set_notes_for(field, item_id, doc, searchable_text, resource_hashes, remove_unused_resources)
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py b/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py
index 132d992ade..80038e3518 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ def test_cache_api(self: 'NotesTest'):
     h1 = cache.add_notes_resource(b'resource1', 'r1.jpg')
     h2 = cache.add_notes_resource(b'resource2', 'r1.jpg')
     cache.set_notes_for('authors', author_id, doc, resource_hashes=(h1, h2))
+    nd = cache.notes_data_for('authors', author_id)
+    self.ae(nd, {'id': 1, 'searchable_text': authors[0] + '\n' + doc, 'doc': doc, 'resource_hashes': frozenset({h1, h2})})
     # test renaming to a new author preserves notes
     cache.rename_items('authors', {author_id: 'renamed author'})
     raid = cache.get_item_id('authors', 'renamed author')