diff --git a/swh/indexer/cli.py b/swh/indexer/cli.py
--- a/swh/indexer/cli.py
+++ b/swh/indexer/cli.py
@@ -288,17 +288,22 @@
 
     scheduler = _get_api(get_scheduler, cfg, "scheduler", scheduler_url)
 
-    brokers = brokers or journal_cfg.get("brokers")
-    if not brokers:
+    if brokers:
+        journal_cfg["brokers"] = brokers
+    if not journal_cfg["brokers"]:
         raise ValueError("The brokers configuration is mandatory.")
 
-    prefix = prefix or journal_cfg.get("prefix")
-    group_id = group_id or journal_cfg.get("group_id")
+    if prefix:
+        journal_cfg["prefix"] = prefix
+    if group_id:
+        journal_cfg["group_id"] = group_id
     origin_metadata_task_type = origin_metadata_task_type or journal_cfg.get(
         "origin_metadata_task_type"
     )
-    stop_after_objects = stop_after_objects or journal_cfg.get("stop_after_objects")
-    batch_size = batch_size or journal_cfg.get("batch_size", 200)
+    if stop_after_objects:
+        journal_cfg["stop_after_objects"] = stop_after_objects
+    if batch_size:
+        journal_cfg["batch_size"] = batch_size
 
     object_types = set()
     worker_fns: List[Callable[[ObjectsDict], Dict]] = []
@@ -359,12 +364,8 @@
 
     client = get_journal_client(
         cls="kafka",
-        brokers=brokers,
-        prefix=prefix,
-        group_id=group_id,
         object_types=list(object_types),
-        stop_after_objects=stop_after_objects,
-        batch_size=batch_size,
+        **journal_cfg,
     )
 
     def worker_fn(objects: ObjectsDict):