diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
index 42cce47..165ca9e 100644
--- a/config.yaml
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ beetslabels:
   # labels:
   playlists:
     - name: exercise
-      query: ["effortless"]
+      query: ["label:effortless"]
 
 smartplaylist:
   relative_to: ~/Music/0beets_playlists
diff --git a/plugins/beetslabels.py b/plugins/beetslabels.py
index 228991d..c237a46 100644
--- a/plugins/beetslabels.py
+++ b/plugins/beetslabels.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Prefixes = dict[str, FieldQueryType]
 import re
 
 from .labels import HasLabelQuery, labels_command, LABELS_FIELD_NAME, LabelValueSort
-from .playlists import initialize_playlists, InPlaylistQuery, PlaylistValueSort
+from .playlists import initialize_playlists, expand_playlist_query, PlaylistValueSort
 
 class LabelValueSortsDict(dict):
     """Custom dict that returns LabelValueSort for any label:* key."""
@@ -46,6 +46,23 @@ def parse_sorted_query_override(
     """Given a list of strings, create the `Query` and `Sort` that they
     represent.
     """
+    # First, expand any playlist: macros
+    expanded_parts = []
+    for part in parts:
+        if part.startswith('playlist:') and not re.match(r"[+-]$", part):
+            playlist_name = part[len("playlist:"):]
+
+            if playlist_name in playlist_config:
+                expanded_parts.extend(expand_playlist_query(playlist_name))
+            else:
+                # Unknown playlist, pass through (will likely cause an error later)
+                expanded_parts.append(part)
+        else:
+            expanded_parts.append(part)
+
+    # Use the expanded parts for the rest of the parsing
+    parts = expanded_parts
+
     # Separate query token and sort token.
     query_parts = []
     sort_parts = []
@@ -94,7 +111,6 @@ class BeetsLabelsPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
     def __init__(self):
         super().__init__()
         self.item_queries = {"label": HasLabelQuery}
-        self.item_queries = {"playlist": InPlaylistQuery}
 
         playlists_config = self.config['playlists'].get()
         initialize_playlists(playlists_config)
diff --git a/plugins/playlists.py b/plugins/playlists.py
index 1275476..d866cfb 100644
--- a/plugins/playlists.py
+++ b/plugins/playlists.py
@@ -8,31 +8,14 @@ import json
 
 playlist_config = {}
 
+def expand_playlist_query(playlist_name):
+    return playlist_config[playlist_name]
+
 def initialize_playlists(playlists):
     for playlist in playlists:
         playlist_config[playlist["name"]] = \
             playlist["query"]
 
-class InPlaylistQuery(FieldQuery):
-    def __init__(self, _, pattern: str, __):
-        super().__init__(LABELS_FIELD_NAME, pattern, False)
-
-    @classmethod
-    def value_match(self, pattern, jsonstr):
-        if jsonstr is not None:
-            playlist = pattern
-            labels = json.loads(jsonstr)
-
-            if playlist in labels:
-                # This song has been explicitly added to the playlist
-                return True
-
-            for label in playlist_config[playlist]:
-                if label in labels:
-                    return True
-
-        return False
-
 class PlaylistValueSort(SlowFieldSort):
     def __init__(self, field, ascending=True, case_insensitive=True):
         super().__init__(field, ascending, case_insensitive)