diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
index fc663d268a..09040bcafc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from functools import partial
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, QMenu, QModelIndex
 
-from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, config
+from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, config, Dispatcher
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.metadata_single import MetadataSingleDialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.metadata_bulk import MetadataBulkDialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
                             _('No books selected'), show=True)
             db = self.gui.library_view.model().db
             ids = [db.id(row.row()) for row in rows]
+        from calibre.gui2.metadata.bulk_download2 import start_download
+        start_download(self.gui, ids, Dispatcher(self.bulk_metadata_downloaded))
+
+    def bulk_metadata_downloaded(self, job):
+        print repr(job.result)
 
     def download_metadata_old(self, checked, covers=True, set_metadata=True,
             set_social_metadata=None):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/bulk_download2.py b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/bulk_download2.py
index cc6da1e995..d691c651d9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/bulk_download2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/bulk_download2.py
@@ -7,5 +7,44 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2011, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
+from functools import partial
+
+from PyQt4.Qt import QIcon
+
+from calibre.gui2.dialogs.message_box import MessageBox
+from calibre.gui2.threaded_jobs import ThreadedJob
+
+def show_config(gui, parent):
+    from calibre.gui2.preferences import show_config_widget
+    show_config_widget('Sharing', 'Metadata download', parent=parent,
+            gui=gui, never_shutdown=True)
+
+def start_download(gui, ids, callback):
+    q = MessageBox(MessageBox.QUESTION,  _('Schedule download?'),
+            _('The download of metadata for <b>%d book(s)</b> will'
+                ' run in the background. Proceed?')%len(ids),
+            show_copy_button=False, parent=gui)
+    b = q.bb.addButton(_('Configure download'), q.bb.ActionRole)
+    b.setIcon(QIcon(I('config.png')))
+    b.clicked.connect(partial(show_config, gui, q))
+    q.det_msg_toggle.setVisible(False)
+
+    ret = q.exec_()
+    b.clicked.disconnect()
+    if ret != q.Accepted:
+        return
+
+    job = ThreadedJob('metadata bulk download',
+            _('Download metadata for %d books')%len(ids),
+            download, (ids, gui.current_db), {}, callback)
+    gui.job_manager.run_threaded_job(job)
+
+
+def download(ids, db, log=None, abort=None, notifications=None):
+    ids = list(ids)
+    metadata = [db.get_metadata(i, index_is_id=True, get_user_categories=False)
+        for i in ids]
+    return (ids, [mi.last_modified for mi in metadata])
+
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/threaded_jobs.py b/src/calibre/gui2/threaded_jobs.py
index f29baf4134..f98488da79 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/threaded_jobs.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/threaded_jobs.py
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ class ThreadedJob(BaseJob):
         try:
             self.callback(self)
         except:
-            pass
+            import traceback
+            traceback.print_exc()
         self._cleanup()
 
     def _cleanup(self):
@@ -103,6 +104,8 @@ class ThreadedJob(BaseJob):
 
         # No need to keep references to these around anymore
         self.func = self.args = self.kwargs = self.notifications = None
+        # We can't delete self.callback as it might be a Dispatch object and if
+        # it is garbage collected it won't work
 
     def kill(self):
         if self.start_time is None: