diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
index ae1ffce2fc4..579178c36cb 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
@@ -388,9 +388,7 @@ class ir_model_fields(osv.osv):
                 if vals['model'].startswith('x_') and vals['name'] == 'x_name':
                     model._rec_name = 'x_name'
 
-                if self.pool.fields_by_model is not None:
-                    cr.execute('SELECT * FROM ir_model_fields WHERE id=%s', (res,))
-                    self.pool.fields_by_model.setdefault(vals['model'], []).append(cr.dictfetchone())
+                self.pool.clear_manual_fields()
 
                 # re-initialize model in registry
                 model.__init__(self.pool, cr)
diff --git a/openerp/models.py b/openerp/models.py
index 65180419c9b..1c808ad74ba 100644
--- a/openerp/models.py
+++ b/openerp/models.py
@@ -694,15 +694,10 @@ class BaseModel(object):
 
     @classmethod
     def _init_manual_fields(cls, cr, partial):
-        # Check whether the query is already done
-        if cls.pool.fields_by_model is not None:
-            manual_fields = cls.pool.fields_by_model.get(cls._name, [])
-        else:
-            cr.execute('SELECT * FROM ir_model_fields WHERE model=%s AND state=%s', (cls._name, 'manual'))
-            manual_fields = cr.dictfetchall()
+        manual_fields = cls.pool.get_manual_fields(cr, cls._name)
 
-        for field in manual_fields:
-            if field['name'] in cls._fields:
+        for name, field in manual_fields.iteritems():
+            if name in cls._fields:
                 continue
             attrs = {
                 'manual': True,
@@ -734,11 +729,11 @@ class BaseModel(object):
                 attrs['comodel_name'] = field['relation']
                 _rel1 = field['relation'].replace('.', '_')
                 _rel2 = field['model'].replace('.', '_')
-                attrs['relation'] = 'x_%s_%s_%s_rel' % (_rel1, _rel2, field['name'])
+                attrs['relation'] = 'x_%s_%s_%s_rel' % (_rel1, _rel2, name)
                 attrs['column1'] = 'id1'
                 attrs['column2'] = 'id2'
                 attrs['domain'] = eval(field['domain']) if field['domain'] else None
-            cls._add_field(field['name'], Field.by_type[field['ttype']](**attrs))
+            cls._add_field(name, Field.by_type[field['ttype']](**attrs))
 
     @classmethod
     def _init_constraints_onchanges(cls):
diff --git a/openerp/modules/loading.py b/openerp/modules/loading.py
index 1694fdbccf7..9f22c2571a5 100644
--- a/openerp/modules/loading.py
+++ b/openerp/modules/loading.py
@@ -126,13 +126,7 @@ def load_module_graph(cr, graph, status=None, perform_checks=True, skip_modules=
     migrations = openerp.modules.migration.MigrationManager(cr, graph)
     _logger.info('loading %d modules...', len(graph))
 
-    # Query manual fields for all models at once and save them on the registry
-    # so the initialization code for each model does not have to do it
-    # one model at a time.
-    registry.fields_by_model = {}
-    cr.execute('SELECT * FROM ir_model_fields WHERE state=%s', ('manual',))
-    for field in cr.dictfetchall():
-        registry.fields_by_model.setdefault(field['model'], []).append(field)
+    registry.clear_manual_fields()
 
     # register, instantiate and initialize models for each modules
     t0 = time.time()
@@ -227,9 +221,7 @@ def load_module_graph(cr, graph, status=None, perform_checks=True, skip_modules=
 
     _logger.log(25, "%s modules loaded in %.2fs, %s queries", len(graph), time.time() - t0, openerp.sql_db.sql_counter - t0_sql)
 
-    # The query won't be valid for models created later (i.e. custom model
-    # created after the registry has been loaded), so empty its result.
-    registry.fields_by_model = None
+    registry.clear_manual_fields()
 
     cr.commit()
 
diff --git a/openerp/modules/registry.py b/openerp/modules/registry.py
index 7a377d3eafd..c6e3e2ed1d2 100644
--- a/openerp/modules/registry.py
+++ b/openerp/modules/registry.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 """ Models registries.
 
 """
-from collections import Mapping
+from collections import Mapping, defaultdict
 import logging
 import os
 import threading
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
         self._init = True
         self._init_parent = {}
         self._assertion_report = assertion_report.assertion_report()
-        self.fields_by_model = None
+        self._fields_by_model = None
 
         # modules fully loaded (maintained during init phase by `loading` module)
         self._init_modules = set()
@@ -114,6 +114,20 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
                 fields.append(model_fields[fname])
         return fields
 
+    def clear_manual_fields(self):
+        """ Invalidate the cache for manual fields. """
+        self._fields_by_model = None
+
+    def get_manual_fields(self, cr, model_name):
+        """ Return the manual fields (as a dict) for the given model. """
+        if self._fields_by_model is None:
+            # Query manual fields for all models at once
+            self._fields_by_model = dic = defaultdict(dict)
+            cr.execute('SELECT * FROM ir_model_fields WHERE state=%s', ('manual',))
+            for field in cr.dictfetchall():
+                dic[field['model']][field['name']] = field
+        return self._fields_by_model[model_name]
+
     def do_parent_store(self, cr):
         for o in self._init_parent:
             self.get(o)._parent_store_compute(cr)