diff --git a/swh/model/model.py b/swh/model/model.py
--- a/swh/model/model.py
+++ b/swh/model/model.py
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@
 
 
 ModelType = TypeVar("ModelType", bound="BaseModel")
+HashableModelType = TypeVar("HashableModelType", bound="BaseHashableModel")
 
 
 class BaseModel:
@@ -183,6 +184,10 @@
         recursively builds the corresponding objects."""
         return cls(**d)
 
+    def evolve(self: ModelType, **kwargs) -> ModelType:
+        """Alias to call :func:`attr.evolve` on this object, returning a new object."""
+        return attr.evolve(self, **kwargs)
+
     def anonymize(self: ModelType) -> Optional[ModelType]:
         """Returns an anonymized version of the object, if needed.
 
@@ -230,6 +235,17 @@
             obj_id = self.compute_hash()
             object.__setattr__(self, "id", obj_id)
 
+    def evolve(self: HashableModelType, **kwargs) -> HashableModelType:
+        """Alias to call :func:`attr.evolve` on this object, returning a new object
+        with its ``id`` recomputed based on the content."""
+        if "id" in kwargs:
+            raise TypeError(
+                f"{self.__class__.__name__}.evolve recomputes the id itself; "
+                f"use attr.evolve to change the id manually."
+            )
+        obj = attr.evolve(self, **kwargs)
+        return attr.evolve(obj, id=obj.compute_hash())
+
     def unique_key(self) -> KeyType:
         return self.id
 
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
@@ -910,17 +910,52 @@
     raw_manifest = b"foo"
     id_ = hashlib.new("sha1", raw_manifest).digest()
 
+    # Forgot to update the id -> error
     directory2 = attr.evolve(directory, raw_manifest=raw_manifest)
     assert directory2.to_dict()["raw_manifest"] == raw_manifest
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="does not match recomputed hash"):
         directory2.check()
 
+    # id set to the right value -> ok
     directory2 = attr.evolve(directory, raw_manifest=raw_manifest, id=id_)
     assert directory2.id is not None
     assert directory2.id == id_ != directory.id
     assert directory2.to_dict()["raw_manifest"] == raw_manifest
     directory2.check()
 
+    # id implicitly set to the right value -> ok
+    directory3 = directory.evolve(raw_manifest=raw_manifest)
+    assert directory3.id is not None
+    assert directory3.id == id_ != directory.id
+    assert directory3.to_dict()["raw_manifest"] == raw_manifest
+    directory3.check()
+
+
+@given(strategies.directories(raw_manifest=none()))
+def test_directory_evolve(directory):
+    directory.check()
+
+    # Add an entry (while making sure it is not a duplicate)
+    longest_entry_name = max((entry.name for entry in directory.entries), key=len)
+    entries = (
+        *directory.entries,
+        DirectoryEntry(
+            name=longest_entry_name + b"x",
+            type="file",
+            target=b"\x00" * 20,
+            perms=0,
+        ),
+    )
+    directory2 = directory.evolve(entries=entries)
+    assert directory2.id != directory, "directory.evolve() did not update the id"
+    directory2.check()
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="use attr.evolve"):
+        directory.evolve(id=b"\x00" * 20)
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unexpected keyword argument"):
+        directory.evolve(foo=b"")
+
 
 def test_directory_entry_name_validation():
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="valid directory entry name."):