diff --git a/swh/lister/__init__.py b/swh/lister/__init__.py
--- a/swh/lister/__init__.py
+++ b/swh/lister/__init__.py
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 import logging
+
 import pkg_resources
 
+from swh.lister import pattern
+
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -51,5 +54,16 @@
 
     registry_entry = LISTERS[lister_name].load()()
     lister_cls = registry_entry["lister"]
-    lister = lister_cls(override_config=conf)
-    return lister
+    if issubclass(lister_cls, pattern.Lister):
+        # New-style listers allow overriding the configuration by subclassing,
+        # instead of having an override_config argument in __init__.
+        class OverriddenConfigLister(lister_cls):
+            def load_config(self, conf=conf):
+                config = super().load_config()
+                config.update(conf)
+                return config
+
+        return OverriddenConfigLister()
+    else:
+        # Old-style lister
+        return lister_cls(override_config=conf)
diff --git a/swh/lister/tests/test_cli.py b/swh/lister/tests/test_cli.py
--- a/swh/lister/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/swh/lister/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 import pytest
 
 
-from swh.lister.core.lister_base import ListerBase
 from swh.lister.cli import get_lister, SUPPORTED_LISTERS
 
 from .test_utils import init_db
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@
     db_url = init_db().url()
     for lister_name in SUPPORTED_LISTERS:
         lst = get_lister(lister_name, db_url)
-        assert isinstance(lst, ListerBase)
+        assert hasattr(lst, "run")
 
 
 def test_get_lister_override():
@@ -45,9 +44,7 @@
     # check the override ends up defined in the lister
     for lister_name, url in listers.items():
         lst = get_lister(
-            lister_name,
-            db_url,
-            **{"url": url, "priority": "high", "policy": "oneshot",},
+            lister_name, db_url, url=url, priority="high", policy="oneshot"
         )
 
         assert lst.url == url