diff --git a/swh/lister/opam/lister.py b/swh/lister/opam/lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/opam/lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/opam/lister.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import os
 from subprocess import PIPE, Popen, call
 import tempfile
-from typing import Iterator
+from typing import Iterator, Optional
 
 from swh.lister.pattern import StatelessLister
 from swh.scheduler.interface import SchedulerInterface
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
         self,
         scheduler: SchedulerInterface,
         url: str,
-        instance: str,
+        instance: Optional[str] = None,
         credentials: CredentialsType = None,
     ):
         super().__init__(
diff --git a/swh/lister/opam/tests/test_lister.py b/swh/lister/opam/tests/test_lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/opam/tests/test_lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/opam/tests/test_lister.py
@@ -27,12 +27,22 @@
     return mock_init, mock_open
 
 
+def test_lister_opam_optional_instance(swh_scheduler):
+    """Instance name should be optional and default to be built out of the netloc."""
+    netloc = "opam.ocaml.org"
+    instance_url = f"https://{netloc}"
+
+    lister = OpamLister(swh_scheduler, url=instance_url)
+    assert lister.instance == netloc
+
+
 def test_urls(swh_scheduler, mock_opam):
     mock_init, mock_popen = mock_opam
 
     instance_url = "https://opam.ocaml.org"
 
     lister = OpamLister(swh_scheduler, url=instance_url, instance="opam")
+    assert lister.instance == "opam"
 
     # call the lister and get all listed origins urls
     stats = lister.run()