diff --git a/django/db/backends/__init__.py b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
index 8917fc3b23..063c0ae411 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class BaseDatabaseFeatures(object):
     uses_case_insensitive_names = False
     uses_custom_query_class = False
     empty_fetchmany_value = []
+    update_can_self_select = True
 
 class BaseDatabaseOperations(object):
     """
diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
index 17aa6f13bf..da57ecbe47 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ class DatabaseFeatures(BaseDatabaseFeatures):
     autoindexes_primary_keys = False
     inline_fk_references = False
     empty_fetchmany_value = ()
+    update_can_self_select = False
 
 class DatabaseOperations(BaseDatabaseOperations):
     def date_extract_sql(self, lookup_type, field_name):
diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql_old/base.py b/django/db/backends/mysql_old/base.py
index efbfeeafc5..0ae114d176 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql_old/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql_old/base.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ class DatabaseFeatures(BaseDatabaseFeatures):
     autoindexes_primary_keys = False
     inline_fk_references = False
     empty_fetchmany_value = ()
+    update_can_self_select = False
 
 class DatabaseOperations(BaseDatabaseOperations):
     def date_extract_sql(self, lookup_type, field_name):
diff --git a/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py b/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py
index 1f9a13ecdc..7385cd00e1 100644
--- a/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py
+++ b/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py
@@ -159,20 +159,37 @@ class UpdateQuery(Query):
         # from other tables.
         query = self.clone(klass=Query)
         query.bump_prefix()
-        query.select = []
         query.extra_select = {}
-        query.add_fields([query.model._meta.pk.name])
+        first_table = query.tables[0]
+        if query.alias_refcount[first_table] == 1:
+            # We can remove one table from the inner query.
+            query.unref_alias(first_table)
+            for i in xrange(1, len(query.tables)):
+                table = query.tables[i]
+                if query.alias_refcount[table]:
+                    break
+            join_info = query.alias_map[table]
+            query.select = [(join_info[RHS_ALIAS], join_info[RHS_JOIN_COL])]
+            must_pre_select = False
+        else:
+            query.select = []
+            query.add_fields([query.model._meta.pk.name])
+            must_pre_select = not self.connection.features.update_can_self_select
 
         # Now we adjust the current query: reset the where clause and get rid
         # of all the tables we don't need (since they're in the sub-select).
         self.where = self.where_class()
-        if self.related_updates:
+        if self.related_updates or must_pre_select:
+            # Either we're using the idents in multiple update queries (so
+            # don't want them to change), or the db backend doesn't support
+            # selecting from the updating table (e.g. MySQL).
             idents = []
             for rows in query.execute_sql(MULTI):
                 idents.extend([r[0] for r in rows])
             self.add_filter(('pk__in', idents))
             self.related_ids = idents
         else:
+            # The fast path. Filters and updates in one query.
             self.add_filter(('pk__in', query))
         for alias in self.tables[1:]:
             self.alias_refcount[alias] = 0