diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 58bfcd4..36c53e0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ In case of database structure upgrade, developers must follow these steps:
 
 For details about the alembic migration tool, see the [Alembic tutorial](https://alembic.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/tutorial.html).
 
-
 ## License
 
 ```
diff --git a/alembic/README b/alembic/README
index 98e4f9c..2500aa1 100644
--- a/alembic/README
+++ b/alembic/README
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Generic single-database configuration.
\ No newline at end of file
+Generic single-database configuration.
diff --git a/alembic/env.py b/alembic/env.py
index bb9d102..ebadbee 100644
--- a/alembic/env.py
+++ b/alembic/env.py
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ def run_migrations_online() -> None:
         alembic.context.configure(
             connection=connection,
             target_metadata=cacholote.database.Base.metadata,
-            version_table='alembic_version_cacholote'
+            version_table="alembic_version_cacholote",
         )
 
         with alembic.context.begin_transaction():
             alembic.context.run_migrations()
 
 
-if context.is_offline_mode():
+if alembic.context.is_offline_mode():
     run_migrations_offline()
 else:
     run_migrations_online()
diff --git a/alembic/versions/a38663d192e5_add_created_at_and_rename_timestamp_.py b/alembic/versions/a38663d192e5_add_created_at_and_rename_timestamp_.py
index cbaa171..01cf0d5 100644
--- a/alembic/versions/a38663d192e5_add_created_at_and_rename_timestamp_.py
+++ b/alembic/versions/a38663d192e5_add_created_at_and_rename_timestamp_.py
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 """add created_at and rename timestamp column.
 
 Revision ID: a38663d192e5
-Revises: 
+Revises:
 Create Date: 2024-07-24 15:53:43.989464
 
 """
-import datetime
+
 from typing import Sequence, Union
 
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 
-from alembic import op
 import cacholote
+from alembic import op
 
 # revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
-revision: str = 'a38663d192e5'
+revision: str = "a38663d192e5"
 down_revision: Union[str, None] = None
 branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
 depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
diff --git a/cacholote/database.py b/cacholote/database.py
index 8456a3c..0f660f2 100644
--- a/cacholote/database.py
+++ b/cacholote/database.py
@@ -18,11 +18,16 @@
 import datetime
 import functools
 import json
+import os
 import warnings
 from typing import Any
 
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 import sqlalchemy.orm
+import sqlalchemy_utils
+
+import alembic.command
+import alembic.config
 
 from . import utils
 
@@ -116,7 +121,6 @@ def cached_sessionmaker(url: str, **kwargs: Any) -> sa.orm.sessionmaker[sa.orm.S
     return _cached_sessionmaker(url, **_encode_kwargs(**kwargs))
 
 
-
 def init_database(connection_string: str, force: bool = False) -> sa.engine.Engine:
     """
     Make sure the db located at URI `connection_string` exists updated and return the engine object.
diff --git a/ci/environment-ci.yml b/ci/environment-ci.yml
index 1f02127..82516c3 100644
--- a/ci/environment-ci.yml
+++ b/ci/environment-ci.yml
@@ -33,3 +33,4 @@ dependencies:
 - zarr
 - pip:
   - pytest-structlog
+  - types-sqlalchemy-utils
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index af0fda8..dd71ebd 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -13,4 +13,5 @@ dependencies:
 - pydantic
 - pydantic-settings
 - sqlalchemy>=2.0.9
+- sqlalchemy-utils
 - structlog
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index de6626a..c8f3570 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ dependencies = [
   "pydantic",
   "pydantic-settings",
   "sqlalchemy>=2.0.9",
+  "sqlalchemy_utils",
   "structlog"
 ]
 description = "Efficiently cache calls to functions"