diff --git a/swh/journal/writer/__init__.py b/swh/journal/writer/__init__.py
index 7540c40..bd12467 100644
--- a/swh/journal/writer/__init__.py
+++ b/swh/journal/writer/__init__.py
@@ -1,20 +1,28 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2019 The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
+import warnings
+
+
+def get_journal_writer(cls, **kwargs):
+    if 'args' in kwargs:
+        warnings.warn(
+            'Explicit "args" key is deprecated, use keys directly instead.',
+            DeprecationWarning)
+        kwargs = kwargs['args']
 
-def get_journal_writer(cls, args={}):
     if cls == 'inmemory':  # FIXME: Remove inmemory in due time
         import warnings
         warnings.warn("cls = 'inmemory' is deprecated, use 'memory' instead",
                       DeprecationWarning)
         cls = 'memory'
     if cls == 'memory':
         from .inmemory import InMemoryJournalWriter as JournalWriter
     elif cls == 'kafka':
         from .kafka import KafkaJournalWriter as JournalWriter
     else:
         raise ValueError('Unknown journal writer class `%s`' % cls)
 
-    return JournalWriter(**args)
+    return JournalWriter(**kwargs)