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
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@
     help="Attempt to create the database.",
     default=False,
 )
-def db_init(module, db_name, create_db):
+@click.option(
+    "--flavor", help="Database flavor.", default="default", show_default=True,
+)
+def db_init(module, db_name, create_db, flavor):
     """Initialize a database for the Software Heritage <module>. By
     default, does not attempt to create the database.
 
@@ -125,7 +128,7 @@
 
     """
 
-    logger.debug("db_init %s dn_name=%s", module, db_name)
+    logger.debug("db_init %s flavor=%s dn_name=%s", module, flavor, db_name)
 
     if create_db:
         from swh.core.db.tests.db_testing import pg_createdb
@@ -133,14 +136,16 @@
         # Create the db (or fail silently if already existing)
         pg_createdb(db_name, check=False)
 
-    initialized, dbversion = populate_database_for_package(module, db_name)
+    initialized, dbversion = populate_database_for_package(module, db_name, flavor)
 
     # TODO: Ideally migrate the version from db_version to the latest
     # db version
 
     click.secho(
         "DONE database for {} {} at version {}".format(
-            module, "initialized" if initialized else "exists", dbversion
+            module,
+            f"initialized (as flavor {flavor})" if initialized else "exists",
+            dbversion,
         ),
         fg="green",
         bold=True,
@@ -168,13 +173,16 @@
     return list(sorted(glob.glob(path.join(sqldir, "*.sql")), key=sortkey))
 
 
-def populate_database_for_package(modname: str, conninfo: str) -> Tuple[bool, int]:
+def populate_database_for_package(
+    modname: str, conninfo: str, flavor: str = "default"
+) -> Tuple[bool, int]:
     """Populate the database, pointed at with `conninfo`, using the SQL files found in
     the package `modname`.
 
     Args:
       modname: Name of the module of which we're loading the files
       conninfo: connection info string for the SQL database
+      flavor: the module-specific flavor which we want to initialize the database under
     Returns:
       Tuple with two elements: whether the database has been initialized; the current
       version of the database.
@@ -188,20 +196,33 @@
         return False, current_version
 
     sqlfiles = get_sql_for_package(modname)
-
+    psql_command = [
+        "psql",
+        "--quiet",
+        "--no-psqlrc",
+        "-v",
+        "ON_ERROR_STOP=1",
+        "-d",
+        conninfo,
+    ]
+
+    flavor_set = False
     for sqlfile in sqlfiles:
-        subprocess.check_call(
-            [
-                "psql",
-                "--quiet",
-                "--no-psqlrc",
-                "-v",
-                "ON_ERROR_STOP=1",
-                "-d",
-                conninfo,
-                "-f",
-                sqlfile,
-            ]
+        subprocess.check_call(psql_command + ["-f", sqlfile])
+
+        logger.info("Loading file %s", sqlfile)
+
+        if sqlfile.endswith("-flavor.sql"):
+            logger.info("Setting database flavor %s", flavor)
+            query = f"insert into dbflavor (flavor) values ('{flavor}')"
+            subprocess.check_call(psql_command + ["-c", query])
+            flavor_set = True
+
+    if not flavor_set and flavor != "default":
+        logger.warn(
+            "Asked for flavor %s, but module %s does not support database flavors",
+            flavor,
+            modname,
         )
 
     current_version = swh_db_version(conninfo)