diff --git a/swh/vault/__init__.py b/swh/vault/__init__.py
--- a/swh/vault/__init__.py
+++ b/swh/vault/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2018-2020  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2018-2022  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU Affero General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
 
 BACKEND_TYPES: Dict[str, str] = {
     "remote": ".api.client.RemoteVaultClient",
-    "local": ".backend.VaultBackend",
+    "postgresql": ".backend.VaultBackend",
     "memory": ".in_memory_backend.InMemoryVaultBackend",
+    # deprecated
+    "local": ".backend.VaultBackend",
 }
 
 
@@ -53,3 +55,6 @@
     module = importlib.import_module(module_path, package=__package__)
     Vault = getattr(module, class_name)
     return Vault(**kwargs)
+
+
+get_datastore = get_vault
diff --git a/swh/vault/backend.py b/swh/vault/backend.py
--- a/swh/vault/backend.py
+++ b/swh/vault/backend.py
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@
     Backend for the Software Heritage Vault.
     """
 
+    current_version = 4
+
     def __init__(self, **config):
         self.config = config
         self.cache = VaultCache(**config["cache"])
diff --git a/swh/vault/sql/30-schema.sql b/swh/vault/sql/30-schema.sql
--- a/swh/vault/sql/30-schema.sql
+++ b/swh/vault/sql/30-schema.sql
@@ -1,13 +1,3 @@
-create table if not exists dbversion
-(
-  version     int primary key,
-  release     timestamptz not null,
-  description text not null
-);
-comment on table dbversion is 'Schema update tracking';
-insert into dbversion (version, release, description)
-       values (4, now(), 'Initial version');
-
 create domain obj_hash as bytea;
 
 create type bundle_type as enum ('flat', 'gitfast', 'git_bare');
diff --git a/swh/vault/tests/conftest.py b/swh/vault/tests/conftest.py
--- a/swh/vault/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/swh/vault/tests/conftest.py
@@ -3,17 +3,19 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
+from functools import partial
 import os
 from typing import Any, Dict
 
 import pkg_resources.extern.packaging.version
 import pytest
+from pytest_postgresql import factories
 import yaml
 
-from swh.core.db.pytest_plugin import postgresql_fact
-from swh.storage.tests import SQL_DIR as STORAGE_SQL_DIR
-import swh.vault
+from swh.core.db.pytest_plugin import initialize_database_for_module, postgresql_fact
+from swh.storage.postgresql.db import Db as StorageDb
 from swh.vault import get_vault
+from swh.vault.backend import VaultBackend
 
 os.environ["LC_ALL"] = "C.UTF-8"
 
@@ -34,14 +36,23 @@
             yield pathlib.Path(tmpdir)
 
 
-VAULT_SQL_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(swh.vault.__file__), "sql")
-
+storage_postgresql_proc = factories.postgresql_proc(
+    dbname="storage",
+    load=[
+        partial(initialize_database_for_module, "storage", StorageDb.current_version)
+    ],
+)
 
-postgres_vault = postgresql_fact(
-    "postgresql_proc", dbname="vault", dump_files=f"{VAULT_SQL_DIR}/*.sql"
+vault_postgresql_proc = factories.postgresql_proc(
+    dbname="vault",
+    load=[
+        partial(initialize_database_for_module, "vault", VaultBackend.current_version)
+    ],
 )
+
+postgres_vault = postgresql_fact("vault_postgresql_proc")
 postgres_storage = postgresql_fact(
-    "postgresql_proc", dbname="storage", dump_files=f"{STORAGE_SQL_DIR}/*.sql"
+    "storage_postgresql_proc", no_db_drop=True,  # keep the db for performance reasons
 )