diff --git a/swh/lister/bitbucket/models.py b/swh/lister/bitbucket/models.py
--- a/swh/lister/bitbucket/models.py
+++ b/swh/lister/bitbucket/models.py
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2017 the Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2017-2018 the Software Heritage developers
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 from sqlalchemy import Column, String
 
-from swh.lister.core.models import ModelBase
+from swh.lister.core.models import IndexingModelBase
 
 
-class BitBucketModel(ModelBase):
+class BitBucketModel(IndexingModelBase):
     """a BitBucket repository"""
     __tablename__ = 'bitbucket_repos'
 
diff --git a/swh/lister/core/models.py b/swh/lister/core/models.py
--- a/swh/lister/core/models.py
+++ b/swh/lister/core/models.py
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@
 
     uid = AbstractAttribute('Column(<uid_type>, primary_key=True)')
 
-    # The value used for sorting, segmenting, or api query paging,
-    # because uids aren't always sequential.
-    indexable = AbstractAttribute('Column(<indexable_type>, index=True)')
-
     name = Column(String, index=True)
     full_name = Column(String, index=True)
     html_url = Column(String)
@@ -40,14 +36,12 @@
     task_id = Column(Integer)
     origin_id = Column(Integer)
 
-    def __init__(self, uid=None, indexable=None, name=None, full_name=None,
+    def __init__(self, uid=None, name=None, full_name=None,
                  html_url=None, origin_url=None, origin_type=None,
                  description=None, task_id=None, origin_id=None):
         self.uid = uid
         self.last_seen = datetime.now()
 
-        if indexable is not None:
-            self.indexable = indexable
         if name is not None:
             self.name = name
         if full_name is not None:
@@ -65,3 +59,24 @@
             self.task_id = task_id
         if origin_id is not None:
             self.origin_id = origin_id
+
+
+class IndexingModelBase(ModelBase, metaclass=ABCSQLMeta):
+    __abstract__ = True
+    __tablename__ = AbstractAttribute
+
+    # The value used for sorting, segmenting, or api query paging,
+    # because uids aren't always sequential.
+    indexable = AbstractAttribute('Column(<indexable_type>, index=True)')
+
+    def __init__(self, uid=None, name=None, full_name=None,
+                 html_url=None, origin_url=None, origin_type=None,
+                 description=None, task_id=None, origin_id=None,
+                 indexable=None):
+        super().__init__(
+            uid=uid, name=name, full_name=full_name, html_url=html_url,
+            origin_url=origin_url, origin_type=origin_type,
+            description=description, task_id=task_id, origin_id=origin_id)
+
+        if indexable is not None:
+            self.indexable = indexable
diff --git a/swh/lister/core/tests/test_model.py b/swh/lister/core/tests/test_model.py
--- a/swh/lister/core/tests/test_model.py
+++ b/swh/lister/core/tests/test_model.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from nose.tools import istest
 from sqlalchemy import Column, Integer
 
-from swh.lister.core.models import ModelBase
+from swh.lister.core.models import ModelBase, IndexingModelBase
 
 
 class BadSubclass1(ModelBase):
@@ -30,6 +30,27 @@
     indexable = Column(Integer, index=True)
 
 
+class IndexingBadSubclass(IndexingModelBase):
+    __abstract__ = True
+    pass
+
+
+class IndexingBadSubclass2(IndexingModelBase):
+    __abstract__ = True
+    __tablename__ = 'foo'
+
+
+class IndexingBadSubclass3(IndexingBadSubclass2):
+    __abstract__ = True
+    pass
+
+
+class IndexingGoodSubclass(IndexingModelBase):
+    uid = Column(Integer, primary_key=True)
+    indexable = Column(Integer, index=True)
+    __tablename__ = 'bar'
+
+
 class TestModel(unittest.TestCase):
     @istest
     def test_model_instancing(self):
@@ -46,8 +67,28 @@
             BadSubclass3()
 
         self.assertIsInstance(GoodSubclass(), GoodSubclass)
-        gsc = GoodSubclass(uid='uid', indexable='indexable')
+        gsc = GoodSubclass(uid='uid')
 
         self.assertEqual(gsc.__tablename__, 'foo')
         self.assertEqual(gsc.uid, 'uid')
+
+    @istest
+    def test_indexing_model_instancing(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            IndexingModelBase()
+
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            IndexingBadSubclass()
+
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            IndexingBadSubclass2()
+
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            IndexingBadSubclass3()
+
+        self.assertIsInstance(IndexingGoodSubclass(), IndexingGoodSubclass)
+        gsc = IndexingGoodSubclass(uid='uid', indexable='indexable')
+
+        self.assertEqual(gsc.__tablename__, 'bar')
+        self.assertEqual(gsc.uid, 'uid')
         self.assertEqual(gsc.indexable, 'indexable')
diff --git a/swh/lister/github/models.py b/swh/lister/github/models.py
--- a/swh/lister/github/models.py
+++ b/swh/lister/github/models.py
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2017 the Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2017-2018 the Software Heritage developers
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 from sqlalchemy import Column, Boolean, Integer
 
-from swh.lister.core.models import ModelBase
+from swh.lister.core.models import IndexingModelBase
 
 
-class GitHubModel(ModelBase):
+class GitHubModel(IndexingModelBase):
     """a GitHub repository"""
     __tablename__ = 'github_repos'
 
diff --git a/swh/lister/gitlab/lister.py b/swh/lister/gitlab/lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/gitlab/lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/gitlab/lister.py
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@
         return {
             'instance': self.instance,
             'uid': repo['id'],
-            'indexable': repo['id'],
             'name': repo['name'],
             'full_name': repo['path_with_namespace'],
             'html_url': repo['web_url'],
diff --git a/swh/lister/gitlab/models.py b/swh/lister/gitlab/models.py
--- a/swh/lister/gitlab/models.py
+++ b/swh/lister/gitlab/models.py
@@ -16,13 +16,12 @@
     id = Column(Integer, primary_key=True)
     uid = Column(Integer, index=True)
     instance = Column(String, index=True)
-    indexable = Column(Integer, index=True)
 
     def __init__(self, uid=None, indexable=None, name=None,
                  full_name=None, html_url=None, origin_url=None,
                  origin_type=None, description=None, task_id=None,
                  origin_id=None, instance=None):
-        super().__init__(uid=uid, indexable=indexable, name=name,
+        super().__init__(uid=uid, name=name,
                          full_name=full_name, html_url=html_url,
                          origin_url=origin_url, origin_type=origin_type,
                          description=description, task_id=task_id,