diff --git a/swh/storage/pytest_plugin.py b/swh/storage/pytest_plugin.py
--- a/swh/storage/pytest_plugin.py
+++ b/swh/storage/pytest_plugin.py
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def swh_storage_backend_config(postgresql_proc, swh_storage_postgresql):
+    """Basic pg storage configuration with no journal collaborator
+    (to avoid pulling optional dependency on clients of this fixture)
+
+    """
     yield {
         "cls": "local",
         "db": "postgresql://{user}@{host}:{port}/{dbname}".format(
@@ -38,7 +42,6 @@
             dbname="tests",
         ),
         "objstorage": {"cls": "memory", "args": {}},
-        "journal_writer": {"cls": "memory",},
     }
 
 
diff --git a/swh/storage/tests/conftest.py b/swh/storage/tests/conftest.py
--- a/swh/storage/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/swh/storage/tests/conftest.py
@@ -72,3 +72,11 @@
     origins = gen_origins(n=100)
     swh_storage.origin_add(origins)
     return origins
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def swh_storage_backend_config(swh_storage_backend_config):
+    """storage should test with its journal writer collaborator on
+
+    """
+    yield {**swh_storage_backend_config, "journal_writer": {"cls": "memory",}}