diff --git a/docs/setup.rst b/docs/setup.rst
--- a/docs/setup.rst
+++ b/docs/setup.rst
@@ -84,6 +84,15 @@ repositories Kallithea will add all of t
 location to its database.  (Note: make sure you specify the correct
 path to the root).
 
+.. note:: It is also possible to use an existing database. For example,
+          when using PostgreSQL without granting general createdb privileges to
+          the PostgreSQL kallithea user, set ``sqlalchemy.url =
+          postgresql://kallithea:password@localhost/kallithea`` and create the
+          database like::
+
+              sudo -u postgres createdb 'kallithea' --owner 'kallithea'
+              kallithea-cli db-create -c my.ini --reuse
+
 Prepare front-end files
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
diff --git a/kallithea/bin/kallithea_cli_db.py b/kallithea/bin/kallithea_cli_db.py
--- a/kallithea/bin/kallithea_cli_db.py
+++ b/kallithea/bin/kallithea_cli_db.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ from kallithea.model.meta import Session
 
 
 @cli_base.register_command(config_file=True)
+@click.option('--reuse/--no-reuse', default=False,
+        help='Reuse and clean existing database instead of dropping and creating (default: no reuse)')
 @click.option('--user', help='Username of administrator account.')
 @click.option('--password', help='Password for administrator account.')
 @click.option('--email', help='Email address of administrator account.')
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ from kallithea.model.meta import Session
 @click.option('--force-no', is_flag=True, help='Answer no to every question.')
 @click.option('--public-access/--no-public-access', default=True,
         help='Enable/disable public access on this installation (default: enable)')
-def db_create(user, password, email, repos, force_yes, force_no, public_access):
+def db_create(user, password, email, repos, force_yes, force_no, public_access, reuse):
     """Initialize the database.
 
     Create all required tables in the database specified in the configuration
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ def db_create(user, password, email, rep
     )
     dbmanage = DbManage(dbconf=dbconf, root=kallithea.CONFIG['here'],
                         tests=False, cli_args=cli_args)
-    dbmanage.create_tables()
+    dbmanage.create_tables(reuse_database=reuse)
     repo_root_path = dbmanage.prompt_repo_root_path(None)
     dbmanage.create_settings(repo_root_path)
     dbmanage.create_default_user()
diff --git a/kallithea/lib/db_manage.py b/kallithea/lib/db_manage.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/db_manage.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/db_manage.py
@@ -72,20 +72,28 @@ class DbManage(object):
             init_model(engine)
             self.sa = Session()
 
-    def create_tables(self):
+    def create_tables(self, reuse_database=False):
         """
         Create database (optional) and tables.
-        The database will be dropped (if it exists) and a new one created.
+        If reuse_database is false, the database will be dropped (if it exists)
+        and a new one created. If true, the existing database will be reused
+        and cleaned for content.
         """
         url = sqlalchemy.engine.url.make_url(self.dburi)
         database = url.database
-        log.info("The existing database %r will be destroyed and created." % database)
+        if reuse_database:
+            log.info("The content of the database %r will be destroyed and new tables created." % database)
+        else:
+            log.info("The existing database %r will be destroyed and a new one created." % database)
+
         if not self.tests:
             if not self._ask_ok('Are you sure to destroy old database? [y/n]'):
                 print('Nothing done.')
                 sys.exit(0)
 
-        if True:
+        if reuse_database:
+            Base.metadata.drop_all()
+        else:
             if url.drivername == 'mysql':
                 url.database = None  # don't connect to the database (it might not exist)
                 engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(url)