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
@@ -212,7 +212,13 @@
     return {
         "content": [data.content, data.content2, data.content3],
         "skipped_content": [data.skipped_content, data.skipped_content2],
-        "directory": [data.dir2, data.dir, data.dir3, data.dir4],
+        "directory": [
+            data.directory2,
+            data.directory,
+            data.directory3,
+            data.directory4,
+            data.directory5,
+        ],
         "revision": [data.revision, data.revision2, data.revision3, data.revision4],
         "release": [data.release, data.release2, data.release3],
         "snapshot": [data.snapshot, data.empty_snapshot, data.complete_snapshot],
diff --git a/swh/storage/tests/storage_data.py b/swh/storage/tests/storage_data.py
--- a/swh/storage/tests/storage_data.py
+++ b/swh/storage/tests/storage_data.py
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 from swh.model.identifiers import parse_swhid
 from swh.model.model import (
     Content,
+    Directory,
+    DirectoryEntry,
     MetadataAuthority,
     MetadataAuthorityType,
     MetadataFetcher,
@@ -123,74 +125,81 @@
 )
 
 
-dir = {
-    "id": hash_to_bytes("34f335a750111ca0a8b64d8034faec9eedc396be"),
-    "entries": (
-        {
-            "name": b"foo",
-            "type": "file",
-            "target": content.sha1_git,
-            "perms": from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
-        },
-        {
-            "name": b"bar\xc3",
-            "type": "dir",
-            "target": b"12345678901234567890",
-            "perms": from_disk.DentryPerms.directory,
-        },
+directory5 = Directory(entries=())
+
+directory = Directory(
+    id=hash_to_bytes("34f335a750111ca0a8b64d8034faec9eedc396be"),
+    entries=tuple(
+        [
+            DirectoryEntry(
+                name=b"foo",
+                type="file",
+                target=content.sha1_git,
+                perms=from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
+            ),
+            DirectoryEntry(
+                name=b"bar\xc3",
+                type="dir",
+                target=directory5.id,
+                perms=from_disk.DentryPerms.directory,
+            ),
+        ],
     ),
-}
+)
 
-dir2 = {
-    "id": hash_to_bytes("8505808532953da7d2581741f01b29c04b1cb9ab"),
-    "entries": (
-        {
-            "name": b"oof",
-            "type": "file",
-            "target": content2.sha1_git,
-            "perms": from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
-        },
+directory2 = Directory(
+    id=hash_to_bytes("8505808532953da7d2581741f01b29c04b1cb9ab"),
+    entries=tuple(
+        [
+            DirectoryEntry(
+                name=b"oof",
+                type="file",
+                target=content2.sha1_git,
+                perms=from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
+            )
+        ],
     ),
-}
+)
 
-dir3 = {
-    "id": hash_to_bytes("4ea8c6b2f54445e5dd1a9d5bb2afd875d66f3150"),
-    "entries": (
-        {
-            "name": b"foo",
-            "type": "file",
-            "target": content.sha1_git,
-            "perms": from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
-        },
-        {
-            "name": b"subdir",
-            "type": "dir",
-            "target": hash_to_bytes("34f335a750111ca0a8b64d8034faec9eedc396be"),  # dir
-            "perms": from_disk.DentryPerms.directory,
-        },
-        {
-            "name": b"hello",
-            "type": "file",
-            "target": b"12345678901234567890",
-            "perms": from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
-        },
+directory3 = Directory(
+    id=hash_to_bytes("4ea8c6b2f54445e5dd1a9d5bb2afd875d66f3150"),
+    entries=tuple(
+        [
+            DirectoryEntry(
+                name=b"foo",
+                type="file",
+                target=content.sha1_git,
+                perms=from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
+            ),
+            DirectoryEntry(
+                name=b"subdir",
+                type="dir",
+                target=directory.id,
+                perms=from_disk.DentryPerms.directory,
+            ),
+            DirectoryEntry(
+                name=b"hello",
+                type="file",
+                target=directory5.id,
+                perms=from_disk.DentryPerms.content,
+            ),
+        ],
     ),
-}
+)
 
-dir4 = {
-    "id": hash_to_bytes("377aa5fcd944fbabf502dbfda55cd14d33c8c3c6"),
-    "entries": (
-        {
-            "name": b"subdir1",
-            "type": "dir",
-            "target": hash_to_bytes("4ea8c6b2f54445e5dd1a9d5bb2afd875d66f3150"),  # dir3
-            "perms": from_disk.DentryPerms.directory,
-        },
+directory4 = Directory(
+    id=hash_to_bytes("377aa5fcd944fbabf502dbfda55cd14d33c8c3c6"),
+    entries=tuple(
+        [
+            DirectoryEntry(
+                name=b"subdir1",
+                type="dir",
+                target=directory3.id,
+                perms=from_disk.DentryPerms.directory,
+            )
+        ],
     ),
-}
-
-directories = (dir, dir2, dir3, dir4)
-
+)
 
 minus_offset = datetime.timezone(datetime.timedelta(minutes=-120))
 plus_offset = datetime.timezone(datetime.timedelta(minutes=120))
@@ -538,7 +547,7 @@
     snapshot=parse_swhid(f"swh:1:snp:{hash_to_hex(snapshot['id'])}"),
     release=parse_swhid(f"swh:1:rel:{hash_to_hex(release['id'])}"),
     revision=parse_swhid(f"swh:1:rev:{hash_to_hex(revision['id'])}"),
-    directory=parse_swhid(f"swh:1:dir:{hash_to_hex(dir['id'])}"),
+    directory=parse_swhid(f"swh:1:dir:{hash_to_hex(directory.id)}"),
     path=b"/foo/bar",
 )
 
diff --git a/swh/storage/tests/test_pytest_plugin.py b/swh/storage/tests/test_pytest_plugin.py
--- a/swh/storage/tests/test_pytest_plugin.py
+++ b/swh/storage/tests/test_pytest_plugin.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
         if object_type in [
             "content",
             "skipped_content",
+            "directory",
             "fetcher",
             "authority",
             "origin_metadata",
diff --git a/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py b/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py
--- a/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py
+++ b/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 from swh.model.identifiers import SWHID
 from swh.model.model import (
     Content,
-    Directory,
     MetadataTargetType,
     Origin,
     OriginVisit,
@@ -668,7 +667,7 @@
         assert actual_result == {"directory:add": 1}
 
         assert list(swh_storage.journal_writer.journal.objects) == [
-            ("directory", Directory.from_dict(data.dir))
+            ("directory", directory)
         ]
 
         actual_data = list(swh_storage.directory_ls(directory.id))
@@ -783,7 +782,7 @@
 
     def test_directory_entry_get_by_path(self, swh_storage, sample_data_model):
         cont = sample_data_model["content"][0]
-        dir1, dir2, dir3, dir4 = sample_data_model["directory"][:4]
+        dir1, dir2, dir3, dir4, dir5 = sample_data_model["directory"][:5]
 
         # given
         init_missing = list(swh_storage.directory_missing([dir3.id]))
@@ -821,7 +820,7 @@
                 "dir_id": dir3.id,
                 "name": b"hello",
                 "type": "file",
-                "target": b"12345678901234567890",
+                "target": dir5.id,
                 "sha1": None,
                 "sha1_git": None,
                 "sha256": None,
@@ -847,7 +846,7 @@
             expected_entry["name"] = b"subdir1/" + expected_entry["name"]
             assert actual_entry == expected_entry
 
-        # when (nothing should be found here since data.dir is not persisted.)
+        # when (nothing should be found here since `dir` is not persisted.)
         for entry in dir2.entries:
             actual_entry = swh_storage.directory_entry_get_by_path(
                 dir2.id, [entry.name]