diff -r 8d1525c76e65 -r 5de78b6fff2e cubicweb/cwconfig.py
--- a/cubicweb/cwconfig.py	Thu Feb 23 17:51:11 2017 +0100
+++ b/cubicweb/cwconfig.py	Thu Feb 23 18:02:33 2017 +0100
@@ -1119,9 +1119,12 @@
     # config -> repository
 
     def repository(self, vreg=None):
+        """Return a new bootstrapped repository."""
         from cubicweb.server.repository import Repository
         from cubicweb.server.utils import TasksManager
-        return Repository(self, TasksManager(), vreg=vreg)
+        repo = Repository(self, TasksManager(), vreg=vreg)
+        repo.bootstrap()
+        return repo
 
     # instance methods used to get instance specific resources #############