diff --git a/swh/model/cli.py b/swh/model/cli.py
--- a/swh/model/cli.py
+++ b/swh/model/cli.py
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@
 # control
 import click
 
-from swh.core.cli import swh as swh_cli_group
+try:
+    from swh.core.cli import swh as swh_cli_group
+except ImportError:
+    # stub so that swh-identify can be used when swh-core isn't installed
+    swh_cli_group = click  # type: ignore
+
 from swh.model.identifiers import CoreSWHID, ObjectType
 
 CONTEXT_SETTINGS = dict(help_option_names=["-h", "--help"])
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [tox]
-envlist=black,flake8,mypy,py3
+envlist=black,flake8,mypy,py3,identify
 
 [testenv]
 extras =
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@
          {envsitepackagesdir}/swh/model \
            --cov-branch {posargs}
 
+[testenv:identify]
+# no 'extras = testing', as it would install swh-core;
+# and this test is designed to check 'swh-identify' does not depend on swh-core.
+extras =
+deps =
+  -r requirements-test.txt
+commands =
+  pytest {envsitepackagesdir}/swh/model/tests/test_cli.py
+
 [testenv:black]
 skip_install = true
 deps =