diff --git a/src/cargo/core/mod.rs b/src/cargo/core/mod.rs
index 9667be09e68..df91808ccaf 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/mod.rs
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@ pub use self::shell::{Shell, Verbosity};
 pub use self::source::{GitReference, Source, SourceId, SourceMap};
 pub use self::summary::{FeatureMap, FeatureValue, Summary};
 pub use self::workspace::{
-    find_workspace_root, resolve_relative_path, InheritableFields, MaybePackage, Workspace,
-    WorkspaceConfig, WorkspaceRootConfig,
+    find_workspace_root, resolve_relative_path, MaybePackage, Workspace, WorkspaceConfig,
+    WorkspaceRootConfig,
 };
+pub use crate::util::toml::InheritableFields;
 
 pub mod compiler;
 pub mod dependency;
diff --git a/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs b/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
index 7b57b749e34..cf5aeb5161e 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ use crate::sources::{PathSource, CRATES_IO_INDEX, CRATES_IO_REGISTRY};
 use crate::util::errors::{CargoResult, ManifestError};
 use crate::util::interning::InternedString;
 use crate::util::lev_distance;
-use crate::util::toml::{
-    read_manifest, readme_for_project, StringOrBool, TomlDependency, TomlProfiles, VecStringOrBool,
-};
+use crate::util::toml::{read_manifest, InheritableFields, TomlDependency, TomlProfiles};
 use crate::util::{config::ConfigRelativePath, Config, Filesystem, IntoUrl};
 use cargo_util::paths;
 use cargo_util::paths::normalize_path;
@@ -1644,213 +1642,6 @@ impl WorkspaceRootConfig {
     }
 }
 
-/// A group of fields that are inheritable by members of the workspace
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default)]
-pub struct InheritableFields {
-    dependencies: Option<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>>,
-    version: Option<semver::Version>,
-    authors: Option<Vec<String>>,
-    description: Option<String>,
-    homepage: Option<String>,
-    documentation: Option<String>,
-    readme: Option<StringOrBool>,
-    keywords: Option<Vec<String>>,
-    categories: Option<Vec<String>>,
-    license: Option<String>,
-    license_file: Option<String>,
-    repository: Option<String>,
-    publish: Option<VecStringOrBool>,
-    edition: Option<String>,
-    badges: Option<BTreeMap<String, BTreeMap<String, String>>>,
-    rust_version: Option<String>,
-    ws_root: PathBuf,
-}
-
-impl InheritableFields {
-    pub fn new(
-        dependencies: Option<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>>,
-        version: Option<semver::Version>,
-        authors: Option<Vec<String>>,
-        description: Option<String>,
-        homepage: Option<String>,
-        documentation: Option<String>,
-        readme: Option<StringOrBool>,
-        keywords: Option<Vec<String>>,
-        categories: Option<Vec<String>>,
-        license: Option<String>,
-        license_file: Option<String>,
-        repository: Option<String>,
-        publish: Option<VecStringOrBool>,
-        edition: Option<String>,
-        badges: Option<BTreeMap<String, BTreeMap<String, String>>>,
-        rust_version: Option<String>,
-        ws_root: PathBuf,
-    ) -> InheritableFields {
-        Self {
-            dependencies,
-            version,
-            authors,
-            description,
-            homepage,
-            documentation,
-            readme,
-            keywords,
-            categories,
-            license,
-            license_file,
-            repository,
-            publish,
-            edition,
-            badges,
-            rust_version,
-            ws_root,
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn dependencies(&self) -> CargoResult<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>> {
-        self.dependencies.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.dependencies` was not defined")),
-            |d| Ok(d),
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_dependency(&self, name: &str) -> CargoResult<TomlDependency> {
-        self.dependencies.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.dependencies` was not defined")),
-            |deps| {
-                deps.get(name).map_or(
-                    Err(anyhow!(
-                        "`dependency.{}` was not found in `workspace.dependencies`",
-                        name
-                    )),
-                    |dep| Ok(dep.clone()),
-                )
-            },
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn version(&self) -> CargoResult<semver::Version> {
-        self.version
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.version` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn authors(&self) -> CargoResult<Vec<String>> {
-        self.authors
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.authors` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn description(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.description.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.description` was not defined")),
-            |d| Ok(d),
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn homepage(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.homepage
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.homepage` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn documentation(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.documentation.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.documentation` was not defined")),
-            |d| Ok(d),
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn readme(&self, package_root: &Path) -> CargoResult<StringOrBool> {
-        readme_for_project(self.ws_root.as_path(), self.readme.clone()).map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.readme` was not defined")),
-            |readme| {
-                let rel_path =
-                    resolve_relative_path("readme", &self.ws_root, package_root, &readme)?;
-                Ok(StringOrBool::String(rel_path))
-            },
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn keywords(&self) -> CargoResult<Vec<String>> {
-        self.keywords
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.keywords` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn categories(&self) -> CargoResult<Vec<String>> {
-        self.categories.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.categories` was not defined")),
-            |d| Ok(d),
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn license(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.license
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.license` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn license_file(&self, package_root: &Path) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.license_file.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.license_file` was not defined")),
-            |d| resolve_relative_path("license-file", &self.ws_root, package_root, &d),
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn repository(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.repository.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.repository` was not defined")),
-            |d| Ok(d),
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn publish(&self) -> CargoResult<VecStringOrBool> {
-        self.publish
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.publish` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn edition(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.edition
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.edition` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn rust_version(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
-        self.rust_version.clone().map_or(
-            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.rust-version` was not defined")),
-            |d| Ok(d),
-        )
-    }
-
-    pub fn badges(&self) -> CargoResult<BTreeMap<String, BTreeMap<String, String>>> {
-        self.badges
-            .clone()
-            .map_or(Err(anyhow!("`workspace.badges` was not defined")), |d| {
-                Ok(d)
-            })
-    }
-
-    pub fn ws_root(&self) -> &PathBuf {
-        &self.ws_root
-    }
-}
-
 pub fn resolve_relative_path(
     label: &str,
     old_root: &Path,
diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
index 7778878bead..16d67ee8559 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ use crate::core::resolver::ResolveBehavior;
 use crate::core::{
     find_workspace_root, resolve_relative_path, Dependency, Manifest, PackageId, Summary, Target,
 };
-use crate::core::{
-    Edition, EitherManifest, Feature, Features, InheritableFields, VirtualManifest, Workspace,
-};
+use crate::core::{Edition, EitherManifest, Feature, Features, VirtualManifest, Workspace};
 use crate::core::{GitReference, PackageIdSpec, SourceId, WorkspaceConfig, WorkspaceRootConfig};
 use crate::sources::{CRATES_IO_INDEX, CRATES_IO_REGISTRY};
 use crate::util::errors::{CargoResult, ManifestError};
@@ -1013,7 +1011,7 @@ impl<T> MaybeWorkspace<T> {
             MaybeWorkspace::Workspace(TomlWorkspaceField { workspace: true }) => {
                 cargo_features.require(Feature::workspace_inheritance())?;
                 get_ws_field().context(format!(
-                    "error inheriting `{}` from workspace root manifest's `workspace.{}`",
+                    "error inheriting `{}` from workspace root manifest's `workspace.package.{}`",
                     label, label
                 ))
             }
@@ -1095,28 +1093,187 @@ pub struct TomlWorkspace {
     resolver: Option<String>,
 
     // Properties that can be inherited by members.
+    package: Option<InheritableFields>,
+    dependencies: Option<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>>,
+
+    // Note that this field must come last due to the way toml serialization
+    // works which requires tables to be emitted after all values.
+    metadata: Option<toml::Value>,
+}
+
+/// A group of fields that are inheritable by members of the workspace
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+pub struct InheritableFields {
+    // We use skip here since it will never be present when deserializing
+    // and we don't want it present when serializing
+    #[serde(skip)]
     dependencies: Option<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>>,
     version: Option<semver::Version>,
     authors: Option<Vec<String>>,
     description: Option<String>,
+    homepage: Option<String>,
     documentation: Option<String>,
     readme: Option<StringOrBool>,
-    homepage: Option<String>,
-    repository: Option<String>,
+    keywords: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    categories: Option<Vec<String>>,
     license: Option<String>,
     #[serde(rename = "license-file")]
     license_file: Option<String>,
-    keywords: Option<Vec<String>>,
-    categories: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    repository: Option<String>,
     publish: Option<VecStringOrBool>,
     edition: Option<String>,
     badges: Option<BTreeMap<String, BTreeMap<String, String>>>,
     #[serde(rename = "rust-version")]
     rust_version: Option<String>,
+    // We use skip here since it will never be present when deserializing
+    // and we don't want it present when serializing
+    #[serde(skip)]
+    ws_root: PathBuf,
+}
 
-    // Note that this field must come last due to the way toml serialization
-    // works which requires tables to be emitted after all values.
-    metadata: Option<toml::Value>,
+impl InheritableFields {
+    pub fn update_deps(&mut self, deps: Option<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>>) {
+        self.dependencies = deps;
+    }
+
+    pub fn update_ws_path(&mut self, ws_root: PathBuf) {
+        self.ws_root = ws_root;
+    }
+
+    pub fn dependencies(&self) -> CargoResult<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>> {
+        self.dependencies.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.dependencies` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_dependency(&self, name: &str) -> CargoResult<TomlDependency> {
+        self.dependencies.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.dependencies` was not defined")),
+            |deps| {
+                deps.get(name).map_or(
+                    Err(anyhow!(
+                        "`dependency.{}` was not found in `workspace.dependencies`",
+                        name
+                    )),
+                    |dep| Ok(dep.clone()),
+                )
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn version(&self) -> CargoResult<semver::Version> {
+        self.version.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.version` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn authors(&self) -> CargoResult<Vec<String>> {
+        self.authors.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.authors` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn description(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.description.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.description` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn homepage(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.homepage.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.homepage` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn documentation(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.documentation.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.documentation` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn readme(&self, package_root: &Path) -> CargoResult<StringOrBool> {
+        readme_for_project(self.ws_root.as_path(), self.readme.clone()).map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.readme` was not defined")),
+            |readme| {
+                let rel_path =
+                    resolve_relative_path("readme", &self.ws_root, package_root, &readme)?;
+                Ok(StringOrBool::String(rel_path))
+            },
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn keywords(&self) -> CargoResult<Vec<String>> {
+        self.keywords.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.keywords` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn categories(&self) -> CargoResult<Vec<String>> {
+        self.categories.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.categories` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn license(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.license.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.license` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn license_file(&self, package_root: &Path) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.license_file.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.license_file` was not defined")),
+            |d| resolve_relative_path("license-file", &self.ws_root, package_root, &d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn repository(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.repository.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.repository` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn publish(&self) -> CargoResult<VecStringOrBool> {
+        self.publish.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.publish` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn edition(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.edition.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.edition` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn rust_version(&self) -> CargoResult<String> {
+        self.rust_version.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.rust-version` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn badges(&self) -> CargoResult<BTreeMap<String, BTreeMap<String, String>>> {
+        self.badges.clone().map_or(
+            Err(anyhow!("`workspace.package.badges` was not defined")),
+            |d| Ok(d),
+        )
+    }
+
+    pub fn ws_root(&self) -> &PathBuf {
+        &self.ws_root
+    }
 }
 
 impl TomlProject {
@@ -1362,32 +1519,15 @@ impl TomlManifest {
 
         let workspace_config = match (me.workspace.as_ref(), project.workspace.as_ref()) {
             (Some(config), None) => {
-                let inheritable = InheritableFields::new(
-                    config.dependencies.clone(),
-                    config.version.clone(),
-                    config.authors.clone(),
-                    config.description.clone(),
-                    config.homepage.clone(),
-                    config.documentation.clone(),
-                    config.readme.clone(),
-                    config.keywords.clone(),
-                    config.categories.clone(),
-                    config.license.clone(),
-                    config.license_file.clone(),
-                    config.repository.clone(),
-                    config.publish.clone(),
-                    config.edition.clone(),
-                    config.badges.clone(),
-                    config.rust_version.clone(),
-                    package_root.to_path_buf(),
-                );
-
+                let mut inheritable = config.package.clone().unwrap_or_default();
+                inheritable.update_ws_path(package_root.to_path_buf());
+                inheritable.update_deps(config.dependencies.clone());
                 WorkspaceConfig::Root(WorkspaceRootConfig::new(
                     package_root,
                     &config.members,
                     &config.default_members,
                     &config.exclude,
-                    &Some(inheritable.clone()),
+                    &Some(inheritable),
                     &config.metadata,
                 ))
             }
@@ -2057,25 +2197,9 @@ impl TomlManifest {
             .transpose()?;
         let workspace_config = match me.workspace {
             Some(ref config) => {
-                let inheritable = InheritableFields::new(
-                    config.dependencies.clone(),
-                    config.version.clone(),
-                    config.authors.clone(),
-                    config.description.clone(),
-                    config.homepage.clone(),
-                    config.documentation.clone(),
-                    config.readme.clone(),
-                    config.keywords.clone(),
-                    config.categories.clone(),
-                    config.license.clone(),
-                    config.license_file.clone(),
-                    config.repository.clone(),
-                    config.publish.clone(),
-                    config.edition.clone(),
-                    config.badges.clone(),
-                    config.rust_version.clone(),
-                    root.to_path_buf(),
-                );
+                let mut inheritable = config.package.clone().unwrap_or_default();
+                inheritable.update_ws_path(root.to_path_buf());
+                inheritable.update_deps(config.dependencies.clone());
                 WorkspaceConfig::Root(WorkspaceRootConfig::new(
                     root,
                     &config.members,
diff --git a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
index 5c151200f57..d3f7e99740d 100644
--- a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
+++ b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
@@ -1439,7 +1439,7 @@ log2 = { workspace = true }
 Example 2: 
 ```toml
 # in workspace's Cargo.toml
-[workspace]
+[workspace.package]
 version = "1.2.3"
 authors = ["Nice Folks"]
 description = "..."
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/inheritable_workspace_fields.rs b/tests/testsuite/inheritable_workspace_fields.rs
index dc192942f14..3f88045e1a6 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/inheritable_workspace_fields.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/inheritable_workspace_fields.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ fn permit_additional_workspace_fields() {
             r#"
             [workspace]
             members = ["bar"]
+            [workspace.package]
             version = "1.2.3"
             authors = ["Rustaceans"]
             description = "This is a crate"
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ fn permit_additional_workspace_fields() {
             edition = "2018"
             rust-version = "1.60"
 
-            [workspace.badges]
+            [workspace.package.badges]
             gitlab = { repository = "https://gitlab.com/rust-lang/rust", branch = "master" }
 
             [workspace.dependencies]
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ fn inherit_own_workspace_fields() {
 
             [workspace]
             members = []
+            [workspace.package]
             version = "1.2.3"
             authors = ["Rustaceans"]
             description = "This is a crate"
@@ -147,7 +149,7 @@ fn inherit_own_workspace_fields() {
             publish = true
             edition = "2018"
             rust-version = "1.60"
-            [workspace.badges]
+            [workspace.package.badges]
             gitlab = { repository = "https://gitlab.com/rust-lang/rust", branch = "master" }
             "#,
         )
@@ -501,10 +503,10 @@ fn inherit_from_own_undefined_field() {
 [ERROR] failed to parse manifest at `[CWD]/Cargo.toml`
 
 Caused by:
-  error inheriting `description` from workspace root manifest's `workspace.description`
+  error inheriting `description` from workspace root manifest's `workspace.package.description`
 
 Caused by:
-  `workspace.description` was not defined
+  `workspace.package.description` was not defined
 ",
         )
         .run();
@@ -581,6 +583,7 @@ fn inherit_workspace_fields() {
             r#"
             [workspace]
             members = ["bar"]
+            [workspace.package]
             version = "1.2.3"
             authors = ["Rustaceans"]
             description = "This is a crate"
@@ -595,7 +598,7 @@ fn inherit_workspace_fields() {
             publish = true
             edition = "2018"
             rust-version = "1.60"
-            [workspace.badges]
+            [workspace.package.badges]
             gitlab = { repository = "https://gitlab.com/rust-lang/rust", branch = "master" }
             "#,
         )
@@ -1281,7 +1284,7 @@ fn error_no_root_workspace() {
 [ERROR] failed to parse manifest at `[..]/Cargo.toml`
 
 Caused by:
-  error inheriting `description` from workspace root manifest's `workspace.description`
+  error inheriting `description` from workspace root manifest's `workspace.package.description`
 
 Caused by:
   root of a workspace inferred but wasn't a root: [..]/Cargo.toml