diff --git a/swh/model/model.py b/swh/model/model.py
--- a/swh/model/model.py
+++ b/swh/model/model.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     "Helper function used by BaseModel.to_dict()"
     if isinstance(value, BaseModel):
         return value.to_dict()
-    elif isinstance(value, SWHID):
+    elif isinstance(value, (SWHID, ExtendedSWHID)):
         return str(value)
     elif isinstance(value, Enum):
         return value.value
@@ -881,25 +881,12 @@
         return {"name": self.name, "version": self.version}
 
 
-class MetadataTargetType(Enum):
-    """The type of object extrinsic metadata refer to."""
-
-    CONTENT = "content"
-    DIRECTORY = "directory"
-    REVISION = "revision"
-    RELEASE = "release"
-    SNAPSHOT = "snapshot"
-    ORIGIN = "origin"
-
-
 @attr.s(frozen=True, slots=True)
 class RawExtrinsicMetadata(BaseModel):
     object_type: Final = "raw_extrinsic_metadata"
 
     # target object
-    type = attr.ib(type=MetadataTargetType, validator=type_validator())
-    target = attr.ib(type=Union[str, SWHID], validator=type_validator())
-    """URL if type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN, else core SWHID"""
+    target = attr.ib(type=ExtendedSWHID, validator=type_validator())
 
     # source
     discovery_date = attr.ib(type=datetime.datetime, validator=type_validator())
@@ -919,16 +906,6 @@
     path = attr.ib(type=Optional[bytes], default=None, validator=type_validator())
     directory = attr.ib(type=Optional[SWHID], default=None, validator=type_validator())
 
-    @target.validator
-    def check_target(self, attribute, value):
-        if self.type == MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN:
-            if isinstance(value, SWHID) or value.startswith("swh:"):
-                raise ValueError(
-                    "Got SWHID as target for origin metadata (expected an URL)."
-                )
-        else:
-            self._check_swhid(self.type.value, value)
-
     @discovery_date.validator
     def check_discovery_date(self, attribute, value):
         """Checks the discovery_date has a timezone."""
@@ -940,15 +917,16 @@
         if value is None:
             return
 
-        if self.type not in (
-            MetadataTargetType.SNAPSHOT,
-            MetadataTargetType.RELEASE,
-            MetadataTargetType.REVISION,
-            MetadataTargetType.DIRECTORY,
-            MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
+        if self.target.object_type not in (
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.SNAPSHOT,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.RELEASE,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.REVISION,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.DIRECTORY,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.CONTENT,
         ):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unexpected 'origin' context for {self.type.value} object: {value}"
+                f"Unexpected 'origin' context for "
+                f"{self.target.object_type.name.lower()} object: {value}"
             )
 
         if value.startswith("swh:"):
@@ -964,15 +942,16 @@
         if value is None:
             return
 
-        if self.type not in (
-            MetadataTargetType.SNAPSHOT,
-            MetadataTargetType.RELEASE,
-            MetadataTargetType.REVISION,
-            MetadataTargetType.DIRECTORY,
-            MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
+        if self.target.object_type not in (
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.SNAPSHOT,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.RELEASE,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.REVISION,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.DIRECTORY,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.CONTENT,
         ):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unexpected 'visit' context for {self.type.value} object: {value}"
+                f"Unexpected 'visit' context for "
+                f"{self.target.object_type.name.lower()} object: {value}"
             )
 
         if self.origin is None:
@@ -986,14 +965,15 @@
         if value is None:
             return
 
-        if self.type not in (
-            MetadataTargetType.RELEASE,
-            MetadataTargetType.REVISION,
-            MetadataTargetType.DIRECTORY,
-            MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
+        if self.target.object_type not in (
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.RELEASE,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.REVISION,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.DIRECTORY,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.CONTENT,
         ):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unexpected 'snapshot' context for {self.type.value} object: {value}"
+                f"Unexpected 'snapshot' context for "
+                f"{self.target.object_type.name.lower()} object: {value}"
             )
 
         self._check_swhid("snapshot", value)
@@ -1003,13 +983,14 @@
         if value is None:
             return
 
-        if self.type not in (
-            MetadataTargetType.REVISION,
-            MetadataTargetType.DIRECTORY,
-            MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
+        if self.target.object_type not in (
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.REVISION,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.DIRECTORY,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.CONTENT,
         ):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unexpected 'release' context for {self.type.value} object: {value}"
+                f"Unexpected 'release' context for "
+                f"{self.target.object_type.name.lower()} object: {value}"
             )
 
         self._check_swhid("release", value)
@@ -1019,9 +1000,13 @@
         if value is None:
             return
 
-        if self.type not in (MetadataTargetType.DIRECTORY, MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,):
+        if self.target.object_type not in (
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.DIRECTORY,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.CONTENT,
+        ):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unexpected 'revision' context for {self.type.value} object: {value}"
+                f"Unexpected 'revision' context for "
+                f"{self.target.object_type.name.lower()} object: {value}"
             )
 
         self._check_swhid("revision", value)
@@ -1031,9 +1016,13 @@
         if value is None:
             return
 
-        if self.type not in (MetadataTargetType.DIRECTORY, MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,):
+        if self.target.object_type not in (
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.DIRECTORY,
+            SwhidExtendedObjectType.CONTENT,
+        ):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unexpected 'path' context for {self.type.value} object: {value}"
+                f"Unexpected 'path' context for "
+                f"{self.target.object_type.name.lower()} object: {value}"
             )
 
     @directory.validator
@@ -1041,9 +1030,10 @@
         if value is None:
             return
 
-        if self.type not in (MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,):
+        if self.target.object_type not in (SwhidExtendedObjectType.CONTENT,):
             raise ValueError(
-                f"Unexpected 'directory' context for {self.type.value} object: {value}"
+                f"Unexpected 'directory' context for "
+                f"{self.target.object_type.name.lower()} object: {value}"
             )
 
         self._check_swhid("directory", value)
@@ -1082,14 +1072,11 @@
     def from_dict(cls, d):
         d = {
             **d,
-            "type": MetadataTargetType(d["type"]),
+            "target": ExtendedSWHID.from_string(d["target"]),
             "authority": MetadataAuthority.from_dict(d["authority"]),
             "fetcher": MetadataFetcher.from_dict(d["fetcher"]),
         }
 
-        if d["type"] != MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN:
-            d["target"] = parse_swhid(d["target"])
-
         swhid_keys = ("snapshot", "release", "revision", "directory")
         for swhid_key in swhid_keys:
             if d.get(swhid_key):
@@ -1099,7 +1086,6 @@
 
     def unique_key(self) -> KeyType:
         return {
-            "type": self.type.value,
             "target": str(self.target),
             "authority_type": self.authority.type.value,
             "authority_url": self.authority.url,
diff --git a/swh/model/tests/swh_model_data.py b/swh/model/tests/swh_model_data.py
--- a/swh/model/tests/swh_model_data.py
+++ b/swh/model/tests/swh_model_data.py
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 
 import attr
 
-from swh.model.hashutil import MultiHash, hash_to_bytes, hash_to_hex
-from swh.model.identifiers import SWHID
+from swh.model.hashutil import MultiHash, hash_to_bytes
+from swh.model.identifiers import ExtendedSWHID
 from swh.model.model import (
     BaseModel,
     Content,
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
     MetadataAuthority,
     MetadataAuthorityType,
     MetadataFetcher,
-    MetadataTargetType,
     ObjectType,
     Origin,
     OriginVisit,
@@ -310,8 +309,7 @@
 
 RAW_EXTRINSIC_METADATA = [
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-        target="http://example.org/foo.git",
+        target=Origin("http://example.org/foo.git").swhid(),
         discovery_date=datetime.datetime(2020, 7, 30, 17, 8, 20, tzinfo=UTC),
         authority=attr.evolve(METADATA_AUTHORITIES[0], metadata=None),
         fetcher=attr.evolve(METADATA_FETCHERS[0], metadata=None),
@@ -319,10 +317,7 @@
         metadata=b'{"foo": "bar"}',
     ),
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-        target=SWHID(
-            object_type="content", object_id=hash_to_hex(CONTENTS[0].sha1_git)
-        ),
+        target=ExtendedSWHID.from_string(str(CONTENTS[0].swhid())),
         discovery_date=datetime.datetime(2020, 7, 30, 17, 8, 20, tzinfo=UTC),
         authority=attr.evolve(METADATA_AUTHORITIES[0], metadata=None),
         fetcher=attr.evolve(METADATA_FETCHERS[0], metadata=None),
diff --git a/swh/model/tests/test_model.py b/swh/model/tests/test_model.py
--- a/swh/model/tests/test_model.py
+++ b/swh/model/tests/test_model.py
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@
 import swh.model.hypothesis_strategies as strategies
 from swh.model.identifiers import (
     SWHID,
+    ExtendedSWHID,
     content_identifier,
     directory_identifier,
     origin_identifier,
-    parse_swhid,
     release_identifier,
     revision_identifier,
     snapshot_identifier,
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
     MetadataAuthority,
     MetadataAuthorityType,
     MetadataFetcher,
-    MetadataTargetType,
     MissingData,
     Origin,
     OriginVisit,
@@ -808,8 +807,13 @@
     type=MetadataAuthorityType.FORGE, url="https://forge.softwareheritage.org",
 )
 _metadata_fetcher = MetadataFetcher(name="test-fetcher", version="0.0.1",)
-_content_swhid = parse_swhid("swh:1:cnt:94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2")
+_content_swhid = ExtendedSWHID.from_string(
+    "swh:1:cnt:94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2"
+)
 _origin_url = "https://forge.softwareheritage.org/source/swh-model.git"
+_origin_swhid = ExtendedSWHID.from_string(
+    "swh:1:ori:94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2"
+)
 _dummy_qualifiers = {"origin": "https://example.com", "lines": "42"}
 _common_metadata_fields = dict(
     discovery_date=datetime.datetime.now(tz=datetime.timezone.utc),
@@ -824,15 +828,11 @@
     """Checks valid RawExtrinsicMetadata objects don't raise an error."""
 
     # Simplest case
-    RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN, target=_origin_url, **_common_metadata_fields
-    )
+    RawExtrinsicMetadata(target=_origin_swhid, **_common_metadata_fields)
 
     # Object with an SWHID
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-        target=_content_swhid,
-        **_common_metadata_fields,
+        target=_content_swhid, **_common_metadata_fields,
     )
 
 
@@ -847,23 +847,15 @@
         "metadata": b'{"origin": "https://example.com", "lines": "42"}',
     }
 
-    m = RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN, target=_origin_url, **_common_metadata_fields,
-    )
+    m = RawExtrinsicMetadata(target=_origin_swhid, **_common_metadata_fields,)
     assert m.to_dict() == {
-        "type": "origin",
-        "target": _origin_url,
+        "target": str(_origin_swhid),
         **common_fields,
     }
     assert RawExtrinsicMetadata.from_dict(m.to_dict()) == m
 
-    m = RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-        target=_content_swhid,
-        **_common_metadata_fields,
-    )
+    m = RawExtrinsicMetadata(target=_content_swhid, **_common_metadata_fields,)
     assert m.to_dict() == {
-        "type": "content",
         "target": "swh:1:cnt:94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
         **common_fields,
     }
@@ -872,67 +864,18 @@
 
 def test_metadata_invalid_target():
     """Checks various invalid values for the 'target' field."""
-
-    # SWHID for an origin
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="expected an URL"):
-        RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_content_swhid,
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
-        )
-
-    # SWHID for an origin (even when passed as string)
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="expected an URL"):
-        RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target="swh:1:cnt:94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
-        )
-
-    # URL for a non-origin
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Expected SWHID, got a string"):
-        RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-            target=_origin_url,
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
-        )
-
     # SWHID passed as string instead of SWHID
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Expected SWHID, got a string"):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="target must be.*ExtendedSWHID"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target="swh:1:cnt:94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
             **_common_metadata_fields,
         )
 
-    # Object type does not match the SWHID
-    with pytest.raises(
-        ValueError, match="Expected SWHID type 'revision', got 'content'"
-    ):
-        RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.REVISION,
-            target=_content_swhid,
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
-        )
-
-    # Non-core SWHID
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Expected core SWHID"):
-        RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-            target=SWHID(
-                object_type="content",
-                object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
-                metadata=_dummy_qualifiers,
-            ),
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
-        )
-
 
 def test_metadata_naive_datetime():
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="must be a timezone-aware datetime"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
+            target=_origin_swhid,
             **{**_common_metadata_fields, "discovery_date": datetime.datetime.now()},
         )
 
@@ -945,24 +888,17 @@
         ValueError, match="Unexpected 'origin' context for origin object"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
-            origin=_origin_url,
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
+            target=_origin_swhid, origin=_origin_url, **_common_metadata_fields,
         )
 
     # but all other types can
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-        target=_content_swhid,
-        origin=_origin_url,
-        **_common_metadata_fields,
+        target=_content_swhid, origin=_origin_url, **_common_metadata_fields,
     )
 
     # SWHIDs aren't valid origin URLs
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="SWHID used as context origin URL"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             origin="swh:1:cnt:94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
             **_common_metadata_fields,
@@ -977,34 +913,23 @@
         ValueError, match="Unexpected 'visit' context for origin object"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
-            visit=42,
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
+            target=_origin_swhid, visit=42, **_common_metadata_fields,
         )
 
     # but all other types can
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-        target=_content_swhid,
-        origin=_origin_url,
-        visit=42,
-        **_common_metadata_fields,
+        target=_content_swhid, origin=_origin_url, visit=42, **_common_metadata_fields,
     )
 
     # Missing 'origin'
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="'origin' context must be set if 'visit' is"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-            target=_content_swhid,
-            visit=42,
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
+            target=_content_swhid, visit=42, **_common_metadata_fields,
         )
 
     # visit id must be positive
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Nonpositive visit id"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             origin=_origin_url,
             visit=-42,
@@ -1020,8 +945,7 @@
         ValueError, match="Unexpected 'snapshot' context for origin object"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
+            target=_origin_swhid,
             snapshot=SWHID(
                 object_type="snapshot",
                 object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
@@ -1031,7 +955,6 @@
 
     # but content can
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
         target=_content_swhid,
         snapshot=SWHID(
             object_type="snapshot", object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2"
@@ -1042,7 +965,6 @@
     # Non-core SWHID
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Expected core SWHID"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             snapshot=SWHID(
                 object_type="snapshot",
@@ -1057,7 +979,6 @@
         ValueError, match="Expected SWHID type 'snapshot', got 'content'"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             snapshot=SWHID(
                 object_type="content",
@@ -1075,8 +996,7 @@
         ValueError, match="Unexpected 'release' context for origin object"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
+            target=_origin_swhid,
             release=SWHID(
                 object_type="release",
                 object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
@@ -1086,7 +1006,6 @@
 
     # but content can
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
         target=_content_swhid,
         release=SWHID(
             object_type="release", object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2"
@@ -1097,7 +1016,6 @@
     # Non-core SWHID
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Expected core SWHID"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             release=SWHID(
                 object_type="release",
@@ -1112,7 +1030,6 @@
         ValueError, match="Expected SWHID type 'release', got 'content'"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             release=SWHID(
                 object_type="content",
@@ -1130,8 +1047,7 @@
         ValueError, match="Unexpected 'revision' context for origin object"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
+            target=_origin_swhid,
             revision=SWHID(
                 object_type="revision",
                 object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
@@ -1141,7 +1057,6 @@
 
     # but content can
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
         target=_content_swhid,
         revision=SWHID(
             object_type="revision", object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2"
@@ -1152,7 +1067,6 @@
     # Non-core SWHID
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Expected core SWHID"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             revision=SWHID(
                 object_type="revision",
@@ -1167,7 +1081,6 @@
         ValueError, match="Expected SWHID type 'revision', got 'content'"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             revision=SWHID(
                 object_type="content",
@@ -1183,18 +1096,12 @@
     # Origins can't have a 'path' context
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Unexpected 'path' context for origin object"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
-            path=b"/foo/bar",
-            **_common_metadata_fields,
+            target=_origin_swhid, path=b"/foo/bar", **_common_metadata_fields,
         )
 
     # but content can
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
-        target=_content_swhid,
-        path=b"/foo/bar",
-        **_common_metadata_fields,
+        target=_content_swhid, path=b"/foo/bar", **_common_metadata_fields,
     )
 
 
@@ -1206,8 +1113,7 @@
         ValueError, match="Unexpected 'directory' context for origin object"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.ORIGIN,
-            target=_origin_url,
+            target=_origin_swhid,
             directory=SWHID(
                 object_type="directory",
                 object_id="94a9ed024d3859793618152ea559a168bbcbb5e2",
@@ -1217,7 +1123,6 @@
 
     # but content can
     RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-        type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
         target=_content_swhid,
         directory=SWHID(
             object_type="directory",
@@ -1229,7 +1134,6 @@
     # Non-core SWHID
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Expected core SWHID"):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             directory=SWHID(
                 object_type="directory",
@@ -1244,7 +1148,6 @@
         ValueError, match="Expected SWHID type 'directory', got 'content'"
     ):
         RawExtrinsicMetadata(
-            type=MetadataTargetType.CONTENT,
             target=_content_swhid,
             directory=SWHID(
                 object_type="content",