diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@
         swh=swh.core.cli:main
         swh-db-init=swh.core.cli.db:db_init
         [swh.cli.subcommands]
-        db=swh.core.cli.db:db
-        db-init=swh.core.cli.db:db_init
+        db=swh.core.cli.db
         [pytest11]
         pytest_swh_core = swh.core.pytest_plugin
     """,
diff --git a/swh/core/cli/__init__.py b/swh/core/cli/__init__.py
--- a/swh/core/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/swh/core/cli/__init__.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import logging
 import logging.config
+import warnings
 
 import click
 import pkg_resources
@@ -115,7 +116,17 @@
     for entry_point in pkg_resources.iter_entry_points("swh.cli.subcommands"):
         try:
             cmd = entry_point.load()
-            swh.add_command(cmd, name=entry_point.name)
+            if isinstance(cmd, click.BaseCommand):
+                # for BW compat, auto add click commands
+                warnings.warn(
+                    f"{entry_point.name}: automagic addition of click commands "
+                    f"to the main swh group is deprecated",
+                    DeprecationWarning,
+                )
+                swh.add_command(cmd, name=entry_point.name)
+            # otherwise it's expected to be a module which has been loaded
+            # it's the responsibility of the click commands/groups in this
+            # module to transitively have the main swh group as parent.
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning("Could not load subcommand %s: %s", entry_point.name, str(e))
 
diff --git a/swh/core/cli/db.py b/swh/core/cli/db.py
--- a/swh/core/cli/db.py
+++ b/swh/core/cli/db.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 import click
 
-from swh.core.cli import CONTEXT_SETTINGS
+from swh.core.cli import CONTEXT_SETTINGS, swh as swh_cli_group
 
 
 warnings.filterwarnings("ignore")  # noqa prevent psycopg from telling us sh*t
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-@click.group(name="db", context_settings=CONTEXT_SETTINGS)
+@swh_cli_group.group(name="db", context_settings=CONTEXT_SETTINGS)
 @click.option(
     "--config-file",
     "-C",
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
         )
 
 
-@click.command(context_settings=CONTEXT_SETTINGS)
+@db.command(context_settings=CONTEXT_SETTINGS)
 @click.argument("module", required=True)
 @click.option(
     "--db-name",
diff --git a/swh/core/db/tests/test_cli.py b/swh/core/db/tests/test_cli.py
--- a/swh/core/db/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/swh/core/db/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@
   -h, --help              Show this message and exit.
 
 Commands:
-  init  Initialize the database for every Software Heritage module found in...
+  db-init  Initialize a database for the Software Heritage <module>.
+  init     Initialize the database for every Software Heritage module found
+           in...
 """