diff --git a/swh/core/db/db_utils.py b/swh/core/db/db_utils.py
--- a/swh/core/db/db_utils.py
+++ b/swh/core/db/db_utils.py
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@
 
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 import functools
-import glob
 from importlib import import_module
 import logging
 from os import path
+import pathlib
 import re
 import subprocess
 from typing import Collection, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
     sqlfiles = [
         fname
         for fname in get_sql_for_package(modname, upgrade=True)
-        if db_version < int(path.splitext(path.basename(fname))[0]) <= to_version
+        if db_version < int(fname.stem) <= to_version
     ]
 
     for sqlfile in sqlfiles:
@@ -293,7 +293,9 @@
         return None
 
     sqlfiles = [
-        fname for fname in get_sql_for_package("swh.core.db") if "dbmodule" in fname
+        fname
+        for fname in get_sql_for_package("swh.core.db")
+        if "dbmodule" in fname.stem
     ]
     execute_sqlfiles(sqlfiles, db_or_conninfo)
 
@@ -496,7 +498,7 @@
     return m
 
 
-def get_sql_for_package(modname: str, upgrade: bool = False) -> List[str]:
+def get_sql_for_package(modname: str, upgrade: bool = False) -> List[pathlib.Path]:
     """Return the (sorted) list of sql script files for the given swh module
 
     If upgrade is True, return the list of available migration scripts,
@@ -505,14 +507,15 @@
     m = import_swhmodule(modname)
     if m is None:
         raise ValueError(f"Module {modname} cannot be loaded")
-    sqldir = path.join(path.dirname(m.__file__), "sql")
+
+    sqldir = pathlib.Path(m.__file__).parent / "sql"
     if upgrade:
-        sqldir += "/upgrades"
-    if not path.isdir(sqldir):
+        sqldir /= "upgrades"
+    if not sqldir.is_dir():
         raise ValueError(
-            "Module {} does not provide a db schema " "(no sql/ dir)".format(modname)
+            "Module {} does not provide a db schema (no sql/ dir)".format(modname)
         )
-    return sorted(glob.glob(path.join(sqldir, "*.sql")), key=sortkey)
+    return sorted(sqldir.glob("*.sql"), key=lambda x: sortkey(x.name))
 
 
 def populate_database_for_package(
@@ -541,8 +544,8 @@
         return sortkey(path.basename(key))
 
     sqlfiles = get_sql_for_package(modname) + get_sql_for_package("swh.core.db")
-    sqlfiles = sorted(sqlfiles, key=globalsortkey)
-    sqlfiles = [fname for fname in sqlfiles if "-superuser-" not in fname]
+    sqlfiles = sorted(sqlfiles, key=lambda x: sortkey(x.stem))
+    sqlfiles = [fpath for fpath in sqlfiles if "-superuser-" not in fpath.stem]
     execute_sqlfiles(sqlfiles, conninfo, flavor)
 
     # populate the dbmodule table
@@ -581,7 +584,7 @@
 
     """
     sqlfiles = get_sql_for_package(modname)
-    sqlfiles = [fname for fname in sqlfiles if "-superuser-" in fname]
+    sqlfiles = [fname for fname in sqlfiles if "-superuser-" in fname.stem]
     execute_sqlfiles(sqlfiles, conninfo)
 
 
@@ -621,7 +624,7 @@
 
 
 def execute_sqlfiles(
-    sqlfiles: Collection[str], conninfo: str, flavor: Optional[str] = None
+    sqlfiles: Collection[pathlib.Path], conninfo: str, flavor: Optional[str] = None
 ):
     """Execute a list of SQL files on the database pointed at with ``conninfo``.
 
@@ -643,9 +646,13 @@
     flavor_set = False
     for sqlfile in sqlfiles:
         logger.debug(f"execute SQL file {sqlfile} dbname={conninfo}")
-        subprocess.check_call(psql_command + ["-f", sqlfile])
+        subprocess.check_call(psql_command + ["-f", str(sqlfile)])
 
-        if flavor is not None and not flavor_set and sqlfile.endswith("-flavor.sql"):
+        if (
+            flavor is not None
+            and not flavor_set
+            and sqlfile.name.endswith("-flavor.sql")
+        ):
             logger.debug("Setting database flavor %s", flavor)
             query = f"insert into dbflavor (flavor) values ('{flavor}')"
             subprocess.check_call(psql_command + ["-c", query])
diff --git a/swh/core/db/tests/conftest.py b/swh/core/db/tests/conftest.py
--- a/swh/core/db/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/swh/core/db/tests/conftest.py
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
-import glob
 import os
+import pathlib
 
 from click.testing import CliRunner
 from hypothesis import HealthCheck
@@ -45,12 +45,10 @@
 
     def get_sql_for_package_mock(modname, upgrade=False):
         if modname.startswith("test."):
-            sqldir = modname.split(".", 1)[1]
+            sqldir = pathlib.Path(datadir) / modname.split(".", 1)[1]
             if upgrade:
-                sqldir += "/upgrades"
-            return sorted(
-                glob.glob(os.path.join(datadir, sqldir, "*.sql")), key=sortkey
-            )
+                sqldir /= "upgrades"
+            return sorted(sqldir.glob("*.sql"), key=lambda x: sortkey(x.name))
         return get_sql_for_package(modname)
 
     mock_sql_files = mocker.patch(