diff --git a/sql/swh-func.sql b/sql/swh-func.sql
index c463fc9c..1ff02edd 100644
--- a/sql/swh-func.sql
+++ b/sql/swh-func.sql
@@ -1,348 +1,383 @@
 
 -- create a temporary table called tmp_TBLNAME, mimicking existing table
 -- TBLNAME
 --
 -- Args:
 --     tblname: name of the table to mimick
 create or replace function swh_mktemp(tblname regclass)
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     execute format('
 	create temporary table tmp_%I
 	    (like %I including defaults)
 	    on commit drop
 	', tblname, tblname);
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- create a temporary table for directory entries called tmp_TBLNAME,
 -- mimicking existing table TBLNAME with an extra dir_id (sha1_git)
 -- column, and dropping the id column.
 --
 -- This is used to create the tmp_directory_entry_<foo> tables.
 --
 -- Args:
 --     tblname: name of the table to mimick
 create or replace function swh_mktemp_dir_entry(tblname regclass)
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     execute format('
 	create temporary table tmp_%I
 	    (like %I including defaults, dir_id sha1_git)
 	    on commit drop;
         alter table tmp_%I drop column id;
 	', tblname, tblname, tblname, tblname);
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- create a temporary table for revisions called tmp_revisions,
 -- mimicking existing table revision, replacing the foreign keys to
 -- people with an email and name field
 --
 create or replace function swh_mktemp_revision()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     create temporary table tmp_revision (
         like revision including defaults,
         author_name text not null default '',
         author_email text not null default '',
         committer_name text not null default '',
         committer_email text not null default ''
     ) on commit drop;
     alter table tmp_revision drop column author;
     alter table tmp_revision drop column committer;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- create a temporary table for releases called tmp_release,
 -- mimicking existing table release, replacing the foreign keys to
 -- people with an email and name field
 --
 create or replace function swh_mktemp_release()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     create temporary table tmp_release (
         like release including defaults,
         author_name text not null default '',
         author_email text not null default ''
     ) on commit drop;
     alter table tmp_release drop column author;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- a content signature is a set of cryptographic checksums that we use to
 -- uniquely identify content, for the purpose of verifying if we already have
 -- some content or not during content injection
 create type content_signature as (
     sha1      sha1,
     sha1_git  sha1_git,
     sha256    sha256
 );
 
 
 -- check which entries of tmp_content are missing from content
 --
 -- operates in bulk: 0. swh_mktemp(content), 1. COPY to tmp_content,
 -- 2. call this function
 create or replace function swh_content_missing()
     returns setof content_signature
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     return query
 	select sha1, sha1_git, sha256 from tmp_content
 	except
 	select sha1, sha1_git, sha256 from content;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 
 -- add tmp_content entries to content, skipping duplicates
 --
 -- operates in bulk: 0. swh_mktemp(content), 1. COPY to tmp_content,
 -- 2. call this function
 create or replace function swh_content_add()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 declare
     rows bigint;
 begin
     insert into content (sha1, sha1_git, sha256, length, status)
 	select distinct sha1, sha1_git, sha256, length, status
 	from tmp_content
 	where (sha1, sha1_git, sha256) in
 	    (select * from swh_content_missing());
 	    -- TODO XXX use postgres 9.5 "UPSERT" support here, when available.
 	    -- Specifically, using "INSERT .. ON CONFLICT IGNORE" we can avoid
 	    -- the extra swh_content_missing() query here.
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 
 -- check which entries of tmp_directory are missing from directory
 --
 -- operates in bulk: 0. swh_mktemp(directory), 1. COPY to tmp_directory,
 -- 2. call this function
 create or replace function swh_directory_missing()
     returns setof directory
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     return query
 	select id from tmp_directory
 	except
 	select id from directory;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- Add tmp_directory_entry_dir entries to directory_entry_dir and
 -- directory_list_dir, skipping duplicates in directory_entry_dir.
 --
 -- operates in bulk: 0. swh_mktemp_dir_entry('directory_entry_dir'), 1 COPY to
 -- tmp_directory_entry_dir, 2. call this function
 create or replace function swh_directory_entry_dir_add()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     insert into directory_entry_dir (target, name, perms, atime, mtime, ctime)
     select distinct t.target, t.name, t.perms, t.atime, t.mtime, t.ctime
     from tmp_directory_entry_dir t
     where not exists (
     select 1
     from directory_entry_dir i
     where t.target = i.target and t.name = i.name and t.perms = i.perms and
        t.atime is not distinct from i.atime and
        t.mtime is not distinct from i.mtime and
        t.ctime is not distinct from i.ctime);
 
     insert into directory_list_dir (entry_id, dir_id)
     select i.id, t.dir_id
     from tmp_directory_entry_dir t
     inner join directory_entry_dir i
     on t.target = i.target and t.name = i.name and t.perms = i.perms and
        t.atime is not distinct from i.atime and
        t.mtime is not distinct from i.mtime and
        t.ctime is not distinct from i.ctime;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- Add tmp_directory_entry_file entries to directory_entry_file and
 -- directory_list_file, skipping duplicates in directory_entry_file.
 --
 -- operates in bulk: 0. swh_mktemp_dir_entry('directory_entry_file'), 1 COPY to
 -- tmp_directory_entry_file, 2. call this function
 create or replace function swh_directory_entry_file_add()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     insert into directory_entry_file (target, name, perms, atime, mtime, ctime)
     select distinct t.target, t.name, t.perms, t.atime, t.mtime, t.ctime
     from tmp_directory_entry_file t
     where not exists (
     select 1
     from directory_entry_file i
     where t.target = i.target and t.name = i.name and t.perms = i.perms and
        t.atime is not distinct from i.atime and
        t.mtime is not distinct from i.mtime and
        t.ctime is not distinct from i.ctime);
 
     insert into directory_list_file (entry_id, dir_id)
     select i.id, t.dir_id
     from tmp_directory_entry_file t
     inner join directory_entry_file i
     on t.target = i.target and t.name = i.name and t.perms = i.perms and
        t.atime is not distinct from i.atime and
        t.mtime is not distinct from i.mtime and
        t.ctime is not distinct from i.ctime;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- Add tmp_directory_entry_rev entries to directory_entry_rev and
 -- directory_list_rev, skipping duplicates in directory_entry_rev.
 --
 -- operates in bulk: 0. swh_mktemp_dir_entry('directory_entry_rev'), 1 COPY to
 -- tmp_directory_entry_rev, 2. call this function
 create or replace function swh_directory_entry_rev_add()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     insert into directory_entry_rev (target, name, perms, atime, mtime, ctime)
     select distinct t.target, t.name, t.perms, t.atime, t.mtime, t.ctime
     from tmp_directory_entry_rev t
     where not exists (
     select 1
     from directory_entry_rev i
     where t.target = i.target and t.name = i.name and t.perms = i.perms and
        t.atime is not distinct from i.atime and
        t.mtime is not distinct from i.mtime and
        t.ctime is not distinct from i.ctime);
 
     insert into directory_list_rev (entry_id, dir_id)
     select i.id, t.dir_id
     from tmp_directory_entry_rev t
     inner join directory_entry_rev i
     on t.target = i.target and t.name = i.name and t.perms = i.perms and
        t.atime is not distinct from i.atime and
        t.mtime is not distinct from i.mtime and
        t.ctime is not distinct from i.ctime;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- a directory listing entry with all the metadata
 --
 -- can be used to list a directory, and retrieve all the data in one go.
 create type directory_entry as
 (
   dir_id  sha1_git,     -- id of the parent directory
   type    text,         -- type of entry (one of 'dir', 'file', 'rev')
   target  sha1_git,     -- id of target
   name    unix_path,    -- path name, relative to containing dir
   perms   file_perms,   -- unix-like permissions
   atime   timestamptz,  -- time of last access
   mtime   timestamptz,  -- time of last modification
   ctime   timestamptz   -- time of last status change
 );
 
 -- List a single level of directory walked_dir_id
 create or replace function swh_directory_walk_one(walked_dir_id sha1_git)
     returns setof directory_entry
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     return query (
         select dir_id, 'dir' as type, target, name, perms, atime, mtime, ctime
 	from directory_list_dir l
 	left join directory_entry_dir d
 	on l.entry_id = d.id
 	where l.dir_id = walked_dir_id
     union
         select dir_id, 'file' as type, target, name, perms, atime, mtime, ctime
 	from directory_list_file l
 	left join directory_entry_file d
 	on l.entry_id = d.id
 	where l.dir_id = walked_dir_id
     union
         select dir_id, 'rev' as type, target, name, perms, atime, mtime, ctime
 	from directory_list_rev l
 	left join directory_entry_rev d
 	on l.entry_id = d.id
 	where l.dir_id = walked_dir_id
     ) order by name;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- List missing revisions from tmp_revision
 create or replace function swh_revision_missing()
     returns setof sha1_git
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     return query
         select id from tmp_revision
 	except
 	select id from revision;
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 
 -- Create entries in person from tmp_revision
 create or replace function swh_person_add_from_revision()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     with t as (
         select author_name as name, author_email as email from tmp_revision
     union
         select committer_name as name, committer_email as email from tmp_revision
     ) insert into person (name, email)
     select distinct name, email from t
     where not exists (
         select 1
 	from person p
 	where t.name = p.name and t.email = p.email
     );
     return;
 end
 $$;
 
 -- Create entries in revision from tmp_revision
 create or replace function swh_revision_add()
     returns void
     language plpgsql
 as $$
 begin
     perform swh_person_add_from_revision();
 
     insert into revision (id, date, date_offset, committer_date, committer_date_offset, type, directory, message, author, committer)
     select t.id, t.date, t.date_offset, t.committer_date, t.committer_date_offset, t.type, t.directory, t.message, a.id, c.id
     from tmp_revision t
     left join person a on a.name = t.author_name and a.email = t.author_email
     left join person c on c.name = t.committer_name and c.email = t.committer_email;
     return;
 end
 $$;
+
+-- Create entries in person from tmp_release
+create or replace function swh_person_add_from_release()
+    returns void
+    language plpgsql
+as $$
+begin
+    with t as (
+        select distinct author_name as name, author_email as email from tmp_release
+    ) insert into person (name, email)
+    select name, email from t
+    where not exists (
+        select 1
+	from person p
+	where t.name = p.name and t.email = p.email
+    );
+    return;
+end
+$$;
+
+-- Create entries in release from tmp_release
+create or replace function swh_release_add()
+    returns void
+    language plpgsql
+as $$
+begin
+    perform swh_person_add_from_release();
+
+    insert into release (id, revision, date, date_offset, name, comment, author)
+    select t.id, t.revision, t.date, t.date_offset, t.name, t.comment, a.id
+    from tmp_release t
+    left join person a on a.name = t.author_name and a.email = t.author_email;
+    return;
+end
+$$;
diff --git a/swh/storage/db.py b/swh/storage/db.py
index 1a9c0177..ca147a5e 100644
--- a/swh/storage/db.py
+++ b/swh/storage/db.py
@@ -1,172 +1,175 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2015  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 binascii
 import functools
 import psycopg2
 import tempfile
 
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 TMP_CONTENT_TABLE = 'tmp_content'
 
 
 def stored_procedure(stored_proc):
     """decorator to execute remote stored procedure, specified as argument
 
     Generally, the body of the decorated function should be empty. If it is
     not, the stored procedure will be executed first; the function body then.
 
     """
     def wrap(meth):
         @functools.wraps(meth)
         def _meth(self, *args, **kwargs):
             cur = kwargs.get('cur', None)
             self._cursor(cur).execute('SELECT %s()' % stored_proc)
             meth(self, *args, **kwargs)
         return _meth
     return wrap
 
 
 def entry_to_bytes(entry):
     """Convert an entry coming from the database to bytes"""
     if isinstance(entry, memoryview):
         return entry.tobytes()
     return entry
 
 
 def line_to_bytes(line):
     """Convert a line coming from the database to bytes"""
     return line.__class__(entry_to_bytes(entry) for entry in line)
 
 
 def cursor_to_bytes(cursor):
     """Yield all the data from a cursor as bytes"""
     yield from (line_to_bytes(line) for line in cursor)
 
 
 class Db:
     """Proxy to the SWH DB, with wrappers around stored procedures
 
     """
 
     @classmethod
     def connect(cls, *args, **kwargs):
         """factory method to create a DB proxy
 
         Accepts all arguments of psycopg2.connect; only some specific
         possibilities are reported below.
 
         Args:
             connstring: libpq2 connection string
 
         """
         conn = psycopg2.connect(*args, **kwargs)
         return cls(conn)
 
     def _cursor(self, cur_arg):
         """get a cursor: from cur_arg if given, or a fresh one otherwise
 
         meant to avoid boilerplate if/then/else in methods that proxy stored
         procedures
 
         """
         if cur_arg is not None:
             return cur_arg
         # elif self.cur is not None:
         #     return self.cur
         else:
             return self.conn.cursor()
 
     def __init__(self, conn):
         """create a DB proxy
 
         Args:
             conn: psycopg2 connection to the SWH DB
 
         """
         self.conn = conn
 
     @contextmanager
     def transaction(self):
         """context manager to execute within a DB transaction
 
         Yields:
             a psycopg2 cursor
 
         """
         with self.conn.cursor() as cur:
             try:
                 yield cur
                 self.conn.commit()
             except:
                 if not self.conn.closed:
                     self.conn.rollback()
                 raise
 
     def mktemp(self, tblname, cur=None):
         self._cursor(cur).execute('SELECT swh_mktemp(%s)', (tblname,))
 
     def mktemp_dir_entry(self, entry_type, cur=None):
         self._cursor(cur).execute('SELECT swh_mktemp_dir_entry(%s)',
                                   (('directory_entry_%s' % entry_type),))
 
     @stored_procedure('swh_mktemp_revision')
     def mktemp_revision(self, cur=None): pass
 
     @stored_procedure('swh_mktemp_release')
     def mktemp_release(self, cur=None): pass
 
     def copy_to(self, items, tblname, columns, cur=None, item_cb=None):
         def escape(data):
             if data is None:
                 return '\\N'
             if isinstance(data, bytes):
                 return '\\\\x%s' % binascii.hexlify(data).decode('ascii')
             else:
                 return str(data)
         with tempfile.TemporaryFile('w+') as f:
             for d in items:
                 if item_cb is not None:
                     item_cb(d)
                 line = '\t'.join([escape(d.get(k)) for k in columns]) + '\n'
                 f.write(line)
             f.seek(0)
             self._cursor(cur).copy_from(f, tblname, columns=columns)
 
     @stored_procedure('swh_content_add')
     def content_add_from_temp(self, cur=None): pass
 
     @stored_procedure('swh_revision_add')
     def revision_add_from_temp(self, cur=None): pass
 
+    @stored_procedure('swh_release_add')
+    def release_add_from_temp(self, cur=None): pass
+
     def content_missing_from_temp(self, cur=None):
         cur = self._cursor(cur)
 
         cur.execute("""SELECT sha1, sha1_git, sha256
                        FROM swh_content_missing()""")
 
         yield from cursor_to_bytes(cur)
 
     def directory_missing_from_temp(self, cur=None):
         cur = self._cursor(cur)
 
         cur.execute("SELECT id FROM swh_directory_missing()")
 
         yield from cursor_to_bytes(cur)
 
     def directory_walk_one(self, directory, cur=None):
         cur = self._cursor(cur)
 
         cur.execute('select * from swh_directory_walk_one(%s)', (directory,))
 
         yield from cursor_to_bytes(cur)
 
     def revision_missing_from_temp(self, cur=None):
         cur = self._cursor(cur)
 
         cur.execute("SELECT id FROM swh_revision_missing() as r(id)")
 
         yield from cursor_to_bytes(cur)