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
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
     """
     import subprocess
 
-    from swh.core.db.tests.db_testing import swh_db_version
+    from swh.core.db.db_utils import swh_db_version
 
     current_version = swh_db_version(conninfo)
     if current_version is not None:
@@ -205,4 +205,5 @@
         )
 
     current_version = swh_db_version(conninfo)
+    assert current_version is not None
     return True, current_version
diff --git a/swh/core/db/db_utils.py b/swh/core/db/db_utils.py
--- a/swh/core/db/db_utils.py
+++ b/swh/core/db/db_utils.py
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 import functools
+import logging
 import re
+from typing import Optional, Union
 
+import psycopg2
 import psycopg2.extensions
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def stored_procedure(stored_proc):
     """decorator to execute remote stored procedure, specified as argument
@@ -37,6 +42,46 @@
     return value
 
 
+def swh_db_version(
+    db_or_conninfo: Union[str, psycopg2.extensions.connection]
+) -> Optional[int]:
+    """Retrieve the swh version if any. In case of the db not initialized,
+    this returns None. Otherwise, this returns the db's version.
+
+    Args:
+        db_or_conninfo: A database connection, or a database connection info string
+
+    Returns:
+        Optional[Int]: Either the db's version or None
+
+    """
+
+    if isinstance(db_or_conninfo, psycopg2.extensions.connection):
+        db = db_or_conninfo
+    else:
+        try:
+            if "=" not in db_or_conninfo:
+                # Database name
+                db_or_conninfo = f"dbname={db_or_conninfo}"
+            db = psycopg2.connect(db_or_conninfo)
+        except psycopg2.Error:
+            logger.exception("Failed to connect to `%s`", db_or_conninfo)
+            # Database not initialized
+            return None
+
+    try:
+        with db.cursor() as c:
+            query = "select version from dbversion order by dbversion desc limit 1"
+            try:
+                c.execute(query)
+                return c.fetchone()[0]
+            except psycopg2.errors.UndefinedTable:
+                return None
+    except Exception:
+        logger.exception("Could not get version from `%s`", db_or_conninfo)
+        return None
+
+
 # The following code has been imported from psycopg2, version 2.7.4,
 # https://github.com/psycopg/psycopg2/tree/5afb2ce803debea9533e293eef73c92ffce95bcd
 # and modified by Software Heritage.
diff --git a/swh/core/db/tests/db_testing.py b/swh/core/db/tests/db_testing.py
--- a/swh/core/db/tests/db_testing.py
+++ b/swh/core/db/tests/db_testing.py
@@ -15,43 +15,6 @@
 DB_DUMP_TYPES = {".sql": "psql", ".dump": "pg_dump"}  # type: Dict[str, str]
 
 
-def swh_db_version(dbname_or_service):
-    """Retrieve the swh version if any. In case of the db not initialized,
-    this returns None. Otherwise, this returns the db's version.
-
-    Args:
-        dbname_or_service (str): The db's name or service
-
-    Returns:
-        Optional[Int]: Either the db's version or None
-
-    """
-    query = "select version from dbversion order by dbversion desc limit 1"
-    cmd = [
-        "psql",
-        "--tuples-only",
-        "--no-psqlrc",
-        "--quiet",
-        "-v",
-        "ON_ERROR_STOP=1",
-        "--command=%s" % query,
-        dbname_or_service,
-    ]
-
-    try:
-        r = subprocess.run(
-            cmd,
-            check=True,
-            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-            stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-            universal_newlines=True,
-        )
-        result = int(r.stdout.strip())
-    except Exception:  # db not initialized
-        result = None
-    return result
-
-
 def pg_restore(dbname, dumpfile, dumptype="pg_dump"):
     """
     Args: