diff --git a/PVE/API2/Storage/Content.pm b/PVE/API2/Storage/Content.pm
index 4d0ceb6..b3dc593 100644
--- a/PVE/API2/Storage/Content.pm
+++ b/PVE/API2/Storage/Content.pm
@@ -321,11 +321,12 @@ __PACKAGE__->register_method ({
 	    format => $format,
 	};
 
-	# not all storages/types support notes, so ignore errors here
+	# keep going if fetching an optional attribute fails
 	eval {
-	    my $notes = PVE::Storage::get_volume_notes($cfg, $volid);
+	    my $notes = PVE::Storage::get_volume_attribute($cfg, $volid, 'notes');
 	    $entry->{notes} = $notes if defined($notes);
 	};
+	warn $@ if $@;
 
 	return $entry;
     }});
@@ -371,7 +372,7 @@ __PACKAGE__->register_method ({
 	PVE::Storage::check_volume_access($rpcenv, $authuser, $cfg, undef, $volid);
 
 	if (exists $param->{notes}) {
-	    PVE::Storage::update_volume_notes($cfg, $volid, $param->{notes});
+	    PVE::Storage::update_volume_attribute($cfg, $volid, 'notes', $param->{notes});
 	}
 
 	return undef;
diff --git a/PVE/Storage.pm b/PVE/Storage.pm
index bc477c1..6d0aa25 100755
--- a/PVE/Storage.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage.pm
@@ -215,24 +215,24 @@ sub file_size_info {
     return PVE::Storage::Plugin::file_size_info($filename, $timeout);
 }
 
-sub get_volume_notes {
-    my ($cfg, $volid, $timeout) = @_;
+sub get_volume_attribute {
+    my ($cfg, $volid, $attribute) = @_;
 
     my ($storeid, $volname) = parse_volume_id($volid);
     my $scfg = storage_config($cfg, $storeid);
     my $plugin = PVE::Storage::Plugin->lookup($scfg->{type});
 
-    return $plugin->get_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname, $timeout);
+    return $plugin->get_volume_attribute($scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute);
 }
 
-sub update_volume_notes {
-    my ($cfg, $volid, $notes, $timeout) = @_;
+sub update_volume_attribute {
+    my ($cfg, $volid, $attribute, $value) = @_;
 
     my ($storeid, $volname) = parse_volume_id($volid);
     my $scfg = storage_config($cfg, $storeid);
     my $plugin = PVE::Storage::Plugin->lookup($scfg->{type});
 
-    $plugin->update_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname, $notes, $timeout);
+    return $plugin->update_volume_attribute($scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute, $value);
 }
 
 sub volume_size_info {
diff --git a/PVE/Storage/BTRFSPlugin.pm b/PVE/Storage/BTRFSPlugin.pm
index 04b42f1..c8caa41 100644
--- a/PVE/Storage/BTRFSPlugin.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage/BTRFSPlugin.pm
@@ -137,9 +137,9 @@ sub status {
     return PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::status($class, $storeid, $scfg, $cache);
 }
 
-# TODO: sub get_volume_notes {}
+# TODO: sub get_volume_attribute {}
 
-# TODO: sub update_volume_notes {}
+# TODO: sub update_volume_attribute {}
 
 # croak would not include the caller from within this module
 sub __error {
diff --git a/PVE/Storage/CIFSPlugin.pm b/PVE/Storage/CIFSPlugin.pm
index 3a7e638..a3f9ebe 100644
--- a/PVE/Storage/CIFSPlugin.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage/CIFSPlugin.pm
@@ -287,13 +287,26 @@ sub check_connection {
     return 1;
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use get_volume_attribute instead.
 sub get_volume_notes {
     my $class = shift;
     PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::get_volume_notes($class, @_);
 }
+
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use update_volume_attribute instead.
 sub update_volume_notes {
     my $class = shift;
     PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::update_volume_notes($class, @_);
 }
 
+sub get_volume_attribute {
+    return PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::get_volume_attribute(@_);
+}
+
+sub update_volume_attribute {
+    return PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::update_volume_attribute(@_);
+}
+
 1;
diff --git a/PVE/Storage/CephFSPlugin.pm b/PVE/Storage/CephFSPlugin.pm
index f587db7..f75c1b8 100644
--- a/PVE/Storage/CephFSPlugin.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage/CephFSPlugin.pm
@@ -240,14 +240,26 @@ sub deactivate_storage {
     }
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use get_volume_attribute instead.
 sub get_volume_notes {
     my $class = shift;
     PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::get_volume_notes($class, @_);
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use update_volume_attribute instead.
 sub update_volume_notes {
     my $class = shift;
     PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::update_volume_notes($class, @_);
 }
 
+sub get_volume_attribute {
+    return PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::get_volume_attribute(@_);
+}
+
+sub update_volume_attribute {
+    return PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::update_volume_attribute(@_);
+}
+
 1;
diff --git a/PVE/Storage/DirPlugin.pm b/PVE/Storage/DirPlugin.pm
index 2aacb35..2cb55b8 100644
--- a/PVE/Storage/DirPlugin.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage/DirPlugin.pm
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ sub parse_is_mountpoint {
     return $is_mp; # contains a path
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use get_volume_attribute instead.
 sub get_volume_notes {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $timeout) = @_;
 
@@ -105,6 +107,8 @@ sub get_volume_notes {
     return '';
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use update_volume_attribute instead.
 sub update_volume_notes {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $notes, $timeout) = @_;
 
@@ -122,6 +126,26 @@ sub update_volume_notes {
     return;
 }
 
+sub get_volume_attribute {
+    my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute) = @_;
+
+    if ($attribute eq 'notes') {
+	return $class->get_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname);
+    }
+
+    return;
+}
+
+sub update_volume_attribute {
+    my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute, $value) = @_;
+
+    if ($attribute eq 'notes') {
+	return $class->update_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname, $value);
+    }
+
+    die "attribute '$attribute' is not supported for storage type '$scfg->{type}'\n";
+}
+
 sub status {
     my ($class, $storeid, $scfg, $cache) = @_;
 
diff --git a/PVE/Storage/NFSPlugin.pm b/PVE/Storage/NFSPlugin.pm
index 21b288a..0400c93 100644
--- a/PVE/Storage/NFSPlugin.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage/NFSPlugin.pm
@@ -189,13 +189,26 @@ sub check_connection {
     return 1;
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use get_volume_attribute instead.
 sub get_volume_notes {
     my $class = shift;
     PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::get_volume_notes($class, @_);
 }
+
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use update_volume_attribute instead.
 sub update_volume_notes {
     my $class = shift;
     PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::update_volume_notes($class, @_);
 }
 
+sub get_volume_attribute {
+    return PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::get_volume_attribute(@_);
+}
+
+sub update_volume_attribute {
+    return PVE::Storage::DirPlugin::update_volume_attribute(@_);
+}
+
 1;
diff --git a/PVE/Storage/PBSPlugin.pm b/PVE/Storage/PBSPlugin.pm
index bb1c382..76699e6 100644
--- a/PVE/Storage/PBSPlugin.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage/PBSPlugin.pm
@@ -782,6 +782,8 @@ sub deactivate_volume {
     return 1;
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use get_volume_attribute instead.
 sub get_volume_notes {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $timeout) = @_;
 
@@ -792,6 +794,8 @@ sub get_volume_notes {
     return $data->{notes};
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use update_volume_attribute instead.
 sub update_volume_notes {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $notes, $timeout) = @_;
 
@@ -802,6 +806,26 @@ sub update_volume_notes {
     return undef;
 }
 
+sub get_volume_attribute {
+    my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute) = @_;
+
+    if ($attribute eq 'notes') {
+	return $class->get_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname);
+    }
+
+    return;
+}
+
+sub update_volume_attribute {
+    my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute, $value) = @_;
+
+    if ($attribute eq 'notes') {
+	return $class->update_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname, $value);
+    }
+
+    die "attribute '$attribute' is not supported for storage type '$scfg->{type}'\n";
+}
+
 sub volume_size_info {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $timeout) = @_;
 
diff --git a/PVE/Storage/Plugin.pm b/PVE/Storage/Plugin.pm
index 42eabdf..84de785 100644
--- a/PVE/Storage/Plugin.pm
+++ b/PVE/Storage/Plugin.pm
@@ -897,18 +897,52 @@ sub file_size_info {
     return wantarray ? ($size, $format, $used, $parent, $st->ctime) : $size;
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use get_volume_attribute instead.
 sub get_volume_notes {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $timeout) = @_;
 
     die "volume notes are not supported for $class";
 }
 
+# FIXME remove on the next APIAGE reset.
+# Deprecated, use update_volume_attribute instead.
 sub update_volume_notes {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $notes, $timeout) = @_;
 
     die "volume notes are not supported for $class";
 }
 
+# Returns undef if the attribute is not supported for the volume.
+# Should die if there is an error fetching the attribute.
+# Possible attributes:
+# notes     - user-provided comments/notes.
+sub get_volume_attribute {
+    my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute) = @_;
+
+    if ($attribute eq 'notes') {
+	 my $notes = eval { $class->get_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname); };
+	 if (my $err = $@) {
+	     return if $err =~ m/^volume notes are not supported/;
+	     die $err;
+	 }
+	 return $notes;
+    }
+
+    return;
+}
+
+# Dies if the attribute is not supported for the volume.
+sub update_volume_attribute {
+    my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $attribute, $value) = @_;
+
+    if ($attribute eq 'notes') {
+	$class->update_volume_notes($scfg, $storeid, $volname, $value);
+    }
+
+    die "attribute '$attribute' is not supported for storage type '$scfg->{type}'\n";
+}
+
 sub volume_size_info {
     my ($class, $scfg, $storeid, $volname, $timeout) = @_;
     my $path = $class->filesystem_path($scfg, $volname);
@@ -1147,6 +1181,8 @@ my $get_subdir_files = sub {
     return $res;
 };
 
+# If attributes are set on a volume, they should be included in the result.
+# See get_volume_attribute for a list of possible attributes.
 sub list_volumes {
     my ($class, $storeid, $scfg, $vmid, $content_types) = @_;