diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a3abea32f..47d578f25 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -181,11 +181,9 @@ here is a non-exhaustive list of significant departures from the original gem:
 * {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#on_load #on_load} supports delay
 * Various Ephemeris methods on {ZonedDateTime}.
 * {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#dependencies} Rule dependencies
-* A set of debounce/throttle guards for file-based rules: {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#debounce_for debounce_for},
-  {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#throttle_for throttle_for}, and 
-  {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#only_every only_every} 
-* And for UI rules: {OpenHAB::DSL.debounce_for debounce_for}, {OpenHAB::DSL.throttle_for throttle_for}, 
-  {OpenHAB::DSL.only_every only_every}
+* A set of debounce/throttle guards for file-based rules: {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#debounce_for debounce_for}, {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#throttle_for throttle_for}, and {OpenHAB::DSL::Rules::BuilderDSL#only_every only_every} 
+* And for UI rules: {OpenHAB::DSL.debounce_for debounce_for}, {OpenHAB::DSL.throttle_for throttle_for}, {OpenHAB::DSL.only_every only_every}
+* Explicitly document modifying item labels and categories (where possible), and notify openHAB of the change
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
diff --git a/lib/openhab/core/items/generic_item.rb b/lib/openhab/core/items/generic_item.rb
index 3863eefa9..4add06f3e 100644
--- a/lib/openhab/core/items/generic_item.rb
+++ b/lib/openhab/core/items/generic_item.rb
@@ -166,6 +166,72 @@ def format_type(type)
 
           type.to_s
         end
+
+        #
+        # Defers notifying openHAB of modifications to multiple attributes until the block is complete.
+        #
+        # @param force [true, false] force allowing modifications to file-based items.
+        #   Normally a FrozenError is raised when attempting to modify file-based items, since
+        #   they will then be out-of-sync with the definition on disk. Advanced users may do this
+        #   knowingly and intentionally though, so an escape hatch is provided to allow runtime
+        #   modifications.
+        # @yield
+        # @return [Object] the block's return value
+        #
+        # @example Modify label and tags for an item
+        #   MySwitch.modify do
+        #     MySwitch.label = "New Label"
+        #     MySwitch.tag = [:labeled]
+        #   end
+        #
+        def modify(force: false)
+          raise ArgumentError, "you must pass a block to modify" unless block_given?
+          return yield if instance_variable_defined?(:@modifying) && @modifying
+
+          begin
+            provider = self.provider
+            if provider && !provider.is_a?(org.openhab.core.common.registry.ManagedProvider)
+              provider = nil
+              raise FrozenError, "Cannot modify item #{name} from provider #{provider.inspect}." unless force
+
+              logger.debug("Forcing modifications to non-managed item #{name}")
+            end
+            @modified = false
+            @modifying = true
+
+            r = yield
+
+            provider&.update(self) if @modified
+            r
+          ensure
+            @modifying = false
+          end
+        end
+
+        # @!attribute [rw] label
+        # The item's descriptive label.
+        # @return [String]
+        def label=(value)
+          modify do
+            next if label == value
+
+            @modified = true
+            set_label(value)
+          end
+        end
+
+        # @!attribute [rw] category
+        # The item's category.
+        # @return [String]
+        def category=(value)
+          modify do
+            value = value&.to_s
+            next if category == value
+
+            @modified = true
+            set_category(value)
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/openhab/core/items/item.rb b/lib/openhab/core/items/item.rb
index 9803eb2d2..0c1971e59 100644
--- a/lib/openhab/core/items/item.rb
+++ b/lib/openhab/core/items/item.rb
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@ def ===(other)
         #   The item's name.
         #   @return [String]
 
-        # @!attribute [r] label
-        #   The item's descriptive label.
-        #   @return [String, nil]
-
         # @!attribute [r] accepted_command_types
         #   @return [Array<Class>] An array of {Command}s that can be sent as commands to this item
 
@@ -35,7 +31,7 @@ def ===(other)
         #   @return [Array<Class>] An array of {State}s that can be sent as commands to this item
 
         #
-        # The item's {#label} if one is defined, otherwise it's {#name}.
+        # The item's {GenericItem#label label} if one is defined, otherwise its {#name}.
         #
         # @return [String]
         #
@@ -206,6 +202,11 @@ def inspect
           "#{s}>"
         end
 
+        # @return [org.openhab.core.common.registry.Provider]
+        def provider
+          Provider.registry.provider_for(self)
+        end
+
         private
 
         # Allows sub-classes to append additional details to the type in an inspect string
diff --git a/lib/openhab/core/registry.rb b/lib/openhab/core/registry.rb
index b6cb835fb..bc8778a4b 100644
--- a/lib/openhab/core/registry.rb
+++ b/lib/openhab/core/registry.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ class Registry
       #
       def provider_for(key)
         elementReadLock.lock
-        return nil unless (element = identifierToElement[key])
+        if key.is_a?(org.openhab.core.common.registry.Identifiable)
+          element = key
+        else
+          return nil unless (element = identifierToElement[key])
+        end
 
         elementToProvider[element]
       ensure
diff --git a/spec/openhab/core/items/item_spec.rb b/spec/openhab/core/items/item_spec.rb
index de396ec43..9ec1f8b1b 100644
--- a/spec/openhab/core/items/item_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/openhab/core/items/item_spec.rb
@@ -164,6 +164,50 @@
     expect(Switch1).not_to eq Switch3
   end
 
+  describe "#label=" do
+    it "calls update on the provider" do
+      expect(LightSwitch.provider).to receive(:update)
+      LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch"
+    end
+
+    it "doesn't call update if no change was made" do
+      LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch"
+      expect(LightSwitch.provider).not_to receive(:update)
+      LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch"
+    end
+
+    it "raises an error if the item's provider doesn't support update" do
+      expect(LightSwitch.provider).not_to receive(:update)
+      allow(LightSwitch).to receive(:provider).and_return(Object.new)
+      expect { LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch" }.to raise_error(FrozenError)
+    end
+
+    it "ignores provider check if the item doesn't yet have a provider" do
+      expect(LightSwitch.provider).not_to receive(:update)
+      allow(LightSwitch).to receive(:provider).and_return(nil)
+      LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch"
+      expect(LightSwitch.label).to eql "Light Switch"
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#modify" do
+    it "batches multiple provider update calls" do
+      expect(LightSwitch.provider).to receive(:update).once
+      LightSwitch.modify do
+        LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch 1"
+        LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch 2"
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "doesn't call update if the item's provider doesn't support it and we're forced" do
+      expect(LightSwitch.provider).not_to receive(:update)
+      allow(LightSwitch).to receive(:provider).and_return(nil)
+      LightSwitch.modify(force: true) do
+        LightSwitch.label = "Light Switch"
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "entity lookup" do
     it "doesn't confuse a method call with an item" do
       items.build { group_item "gGroup" }
diff --git a/spec/openhab/core/items/registry_spec.rb b/spec/openhab/core/items/registry_spec.rb
index 73ad39d0c..0d30c8f73 100644
--- a/spec/openhab/core/items/registry_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/openhab/core/items/registry_spec.rb
@@ -23,4 +23,10 @@
     expect(items).not_to include("SimmerTest")
     expect(items["SimmerTest"]).to be_nil
   end
+
+  describe "#provider" do
+    it "works" do
+      expect(SwitchTwo.provider).to be_a OpenHAB::Core::Items::Provider
+    end
+  end
 end