diff --git a/pkg/commands/operation/operation.go b/pkg/commands/operation/operation.go
index 7eab510f539b..8f8561a7c290 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/operation/operation.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/operation/operation.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/go-redis/redis/v8"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
 	"github.com/google/wire"
 	"github.com/samber/lo"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
@@ -110,7 +111,8 @@ func (c Cache) ClearArtifacts() error {
 }
 
 // DownloadDB downloads the DB
-func DownloadDB(ctx context.Context, appVersion, cacheDir, dbRepository string, quiet, skipUpdate bool, opt ftypes.RegistryOptions) error {
+func DownloadDB(ctx context.Context, appVersion, cacheDir string, dbRepository name.Reference, quiet, skipUpdate bool,
+	opt ftypes.RegistryOptions) error {
 	mu.Lock()
 	defer mu.Unlock()
 
diff --git a/pkg/db/db.go b/pkg/db/db.go
index fddd3393ea70..9ecb281b064e 100644
--- a/pkg/db/db.go
+++ b/pkg/db/db.go
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
 	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/remote/transport"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 	"k8s.io/utils/clock"
@@ -19,8 +19,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	dbMediaType         = "application/vnd.aquasec.trivy.db.layer.v1.tar+gzip"
-	defaultDBRepository = "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-db"
+	SchemaVersion = db.SchemaVersion
+	dbMediaType   = "application/vnd.aquasec.trivy.db.layer.v1.tar+gzip"
+)
+
+var (
+	DefaultRepository    = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-db", db.SchemaVersion)
+	defaultRepository, _ = name.NewTag(DefaultRepository)
 )
 
 // Operation defines the DB operations
@@ -32,7 +37,7 @@ type Operation interface {
 type options struct {
 	artifact     *oci.Artifact
 	clock        clock.Clock
-	dbRepository string
+	dbRepository name.Reference
 }
 
 // Option is a functional option
@@ -46,7 +51,7 @@ func WithOCIArtifact(art *oci.Artifact) Option {
 }
 
 // WithDBRepository takes a dbRepository
-func WithDBRepository(dbRepository string) Option {
+func WithDBRepository(dbRepository name.Reference) Option {
 	return func(opts *options) {
 		opts.dbRepository = dbRepository
 	}
@@ -72,19 +77,13 @@ type Client struct {
 func NewClient(cacheDir string, quiet bool, opts ...Option) *Client {
 	o := &options{
 		clock:        clock.RealClock{},
-		dbRepository: defaultDBRepository,
+		dbRepository: defaultRepository,
 	}
 
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		opt(o)
 	}
 
-	// Add the schema version as a tag if the tag doesn't exist.
-	// This is required for backward compatibility.
-	if !strings.Contains(o.dbRepository, ":") {
-		o.dbRepository = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", o.dbRepository, db.SchemaVersion)
-	}
-
 	return &Client{
 		options:  o,
 		cacheDir: cacheDir,
@@ -195,7 +194,7 @@ func (c *Client) initOCIArtifact(opt types.RegistryOptions) (*oci.Artifact, erro
 		return c.artifact, nil
 	}
 
-	art, err := oci.NewArtifact(c.dbRepository, c.quiet, opt)
+	art, err := oci.NewArtifact(c.dbRepository.String(), c.quiet, opt)
 	if err != nil {
 		var terr *transport.Error
 		if errors.As(err, &terr) {
diff --git a/pkg/fanal/analyzer/analyzer_test.go b/pkg/fanal/analyzer/analyzer_test.go
index 2c7284a1ae83..8fee82acf600 100644
--- a/pkg/fanal/analyzer/analyzer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/fanal/analyzer/analyzer_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package analyzer_test
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
 	"os"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
@@ -12,11 +13,11 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/sync/semaphore"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 
-	xio "github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/x/io"
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/fanal/analyzer"
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/fanal/types"
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/javadb"
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/mapfs"
+	xio "github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/x/io"
 
 	_ "github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/fanal/analyzer/imgconf/apk"
 	_ "github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/fanal/analyzer/language/java/jar"
@@ -335,15 +336,18 @@ func TestAnalyzerGroup_AnalyzeFile(t *testing.T) {
 						FilePath: "/lib/apk/db/installed",
 						Packages: types.Packages{
 							{
-								ID:             "musl@1.1.24-r2",
-								Name:           "musl",
-								Version:        "1.1.24-r2",
-								SrcName:        "musl",
-								SrcVersion:     "1.1.24-r2",
-								Licenses:       []string{"MIT"},
-								Arch:           "x86_64",
-								Digest:         "sha1:cb2316a189ebee5282c4a9bd98794cc2477a74c6",
-								InstalledFiles: []string{"lib/libc.musl-x86_64.so.1", "lib/ld-musl-x86_64.so.1"},
+								ID:         "musl@1.1.24-r2",
+								Name:       "musl",
+								Version:    "1.1.24-r2",
+								SrcName:    "musl",
+								SrcVersion: "1.1.24-r2",
+								Licenses:   []string{"MIT"},
+								Arch:       "x86_64",
+								Digest:     "sha1:cb2316a189ebee5282c4a9bd98794cc2477a74c6",
+								InstalledFiles: []string{
+									"lib/libc.musl-x86_64.so.1",
+									"lib/ld-musl-x86_64.so.1",
+								},
 							},
 						},
 					},
@@ -615,7 +619,9 @@ func TestAnalyzerGroup_PostAnalyze(t *testing.T) {
 
 			if tt.analyzerType == analyzer.TypeJar {
 				// init java-trivy-db with skip update
-				javadb.Init("./language/java/jar/testdata", "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-java-db", true, false, types.RegistryOptions{Insecure: false})
+				repo, err := name.NewTag(javadb.DefaultRepository)
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				javadb.Init("./language/java/jar/testdata", repo, true, false, types.RegistryOptions{Insecure: false})
 			}
 
 			ctx := context.Background()
diff --git a/pkg/fanal/analyzer/language/java/jar/jar_test.go b/pkg/fanal/analyzer/language/java/jar/jar_test.go
index 133ead426d7a..3988dc27daf5 100644
--- a/pkg/fanal/analyzer/language/java/jar/jar_test.go
+++ b/pkg/fanal/analyzer/language/java/jar/jar_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package jar
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
@@ -130,13 +132,15 @@ func Test_javaLibraryAnalyzer_Analyze(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// init java-trivy-db with skip update
-			javadb.Init("testdata", defaultJavaDBRepository, true, false, types.RegistryOptions{Insecure: false})
+			repo, err := name.NewTag(javadb.DefaultRepository)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			javadb.Init("testdata", repo, true, false, types.RegistryOptions{Insecure: false})
 
 			a := javaLibraryAnalyzer{}
 			ctx := context.Background()
 
 			mfs := mapfs.New()
-			err := mfs.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(tt.inputFile), os.ModePerm)
+			err = mfs.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(tt.inputFile), os.ModePerm)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 			err = mfs.WriteFile(tt.inputFile, tt.inputFile)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/pkg/flag/db_flags.go b/pkg/flag/db_flags.go
index 7e018e865a77..58e7809a2152 100644
--- a/pkg/flag/db_flags.go
+++ b/pkg/flag/db_flags.go
@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 package flag
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 
+	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/db"
+	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/javadb"
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/log"
 )
 
-const defaultDBRepository = "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-db:2"
-const defaultJavaDBRepository = "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-java-db:1"
-
 var (
 	ResetFlag = Flag[bool]{
 		Name:       "reset",
@@ -49,13 +52,13 @@ var (
 	DBRepositoryFlag = Flag[string]{
 		Name:       "db-repository",
 		ConfigName: "db.repository",
-		Default:    defaultDBRepository,
+		Default:    db.DefaultRepository,
 		Usage:      "OCI repository to retrieve trivy-db from",
 	}
 	JavaDBRepositoryFlag = Flag[string]{
 		Name:       "java-db-repository",
 		ConfigName: "db.java-repository",
-		Default:    defaultJavaDBRepository,
+		Default:    javadb.DefaultRepository,
 		Usage:      "OCI repository to retrieve trivy-java-db from",
 	}
 	LightFlag = Flag[bool]{
@@ -86,8 +89,8 @@ type DBOptions struct {
 	DownloadJavaDBOnly bool
 	SkipJavaDBUpdate   bool
 	NoProgress         bool
-	DBRepository       string
-	JavaDBRepository   string
+	DBRepository       name.Reference
+	JavaDBRepository   name.Reference
 	Light              bool // deprecated
 }
 
@@ -145,6 +148,32 @@ func (f *DBFlagGroup) ToOptions() (DBOptions, error) {
 		log.Logger.Warn("'--light' option is deprecated and will be removed. See also: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/discussions/1649")
 	}
 
+	var dbRepository, javaDBRepository name.Reference
+	var err error
+	if f.DBRepository != nil {
+		if dbRepository, err = name.ParseReference(f.DBRepository.Value(), name.WithDefaultTag("")); err != nil {
+			return DBOptions{}, xerrors.Errorf("invalid db repository: %w", err)
+		}
+		// Add the schema version if the tag is not specified for backward compatibility.
+		if t, ok := dbRepository.(name.Tag); ok && t.TagStr() == "" {
+			dbRepository = t.Tag(fmt.Sprint(db.SchemaVersion))
+			log.Logger.Infow("Adding schema version to the DB repository for backward compatibility",
+				zap.String("repository", dbRepository.String()))
+		}
+	}
+
+	if f.JavaDBRepository != nil {
+		if javaDBRepository, err = name.ParseReference(f.JavaDBRepository.Value(), name.WithDefaultTag("")); err != nil {
+			return DBOptions{}, xerrors.Errorf("invalid javadb repository: %w", err)
+		}
+		// Add the schema version if the tag is not specified for backward compatibility.
+		if t, ok := javaDBRepository.(name.Tag); ok && t.TagStr() == "" {
+			javaDBRepository = t.Tag(fmt.Sprint(javadb.SchemaVersion))
+			log.Logger.Infow("Adding schema version to the Java DB repository for backward compatibility",
+				zap.String("repository", javaDBRepository.String()))
+		}
+	}
+
 	return DBOptions{
 		Reset:              f.Reset.Value(),
 		DownloadDBOnly:     downloadDBOnly,
@@ -153,7 +182,7 @@ func (f *DBFlagGroup) ToOptions() (DBOptions, error) {
 		SkipJavaDBUpdate:   skipJavaDBUpdate,
 		Light:              light,
 		NoProgress:         f.NoProgress.Value(),
-		DBRepository:       f.DBRepository.Value(),
-		JavaDBRepository:   f.JavaDBRepository.Value(),
+		DBRepository:       dbRepository,
+		JavaDBRepository:   javaDBRepository,
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/flag/db_flags_test.go b/pkg/flag/db_flags_test.go
index c590ed49f7a3..b53f29135d74 100644
--- a/pkg/flag/db_flags_test.go
+++ b/pkg/flag/db_flags_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package flag_test
 
 import (
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
@@ -15,9 +16,11 @@ import (
 
 func TestDBFlagGroup_ToOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	type fields struct {
-		SkipDBUpdate   bool
-		DownloadDBOnly bool
-		Light          bool
+		SkipDBUpdate     bool
+		DownloadDBOnly   bool
+		Light            bool
+		DBRepository     string
+		JavaDBRepository string
 	}
 	tests := []struct {
 		name      string
@@ -29,22 +32,30 @@ func TestDBFlagGroup_ToOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "happy",
 			fields: fields{
-				SkipDBUpdate:   true,
-				DownloadDBOnly: false,
+				SkipDBUpdate:     true,
+				DownloadDBOnly:   false,
+				DBRepository:     "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-db",
+				JavaDBRepository: "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-java-db",
 			},
 			want: flag.DBOptions{
-				SkipDBUpdate:   true,
-				DownloadDBOnly: false,
+				SkipDBUpdate:     true,
+				DownloadDBOnly:   false,
+				DBRepository:     name.Tag{}, // All fields are unexported
+				JavaDBRepository: name.Tag{}, // All fields are unexported
 			},
 			assertion: require.NoError,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "light",
 			fields: fields{
-				Light: true,
+				Light:            true,
+				DBRepository:     "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-db",
+				JavaDBRepository: "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-java-db",
 			},
 			want: flag.DBOptions{
-				Light: true,
+				Light:            true,
+				DBRepository:     name.Tag{}, // All fields are unexported
+				JavaDBRepository: name.Tag{}, // All fields are unexported
 			},
 			wantLogs: []string{
 				"'--light' option is deprecated and will be removed. See also: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/discussions/1649",
@@ -61,6 +72,17 @@ func TestDBFlagGroup_ToOptions(t *testing.T) {
 				require.ErrorContains(t, err, "--skip-db-update and --download-db-only options can not be specified both")
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid repo",
+			fields: fields{
+				SkipDBUpdate:   true,
+				DownloadDBOnly: false,
+				DBRepository:   "foo:bar:baz",
+			},
+			assertion: func(t require.TestingT, err error, msgs ...interface{}) {
+				require.ErrorContains(t, err, "invalid db repository")
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -71,16 +93,20 @@ func TestDBFlagGroup_ToOptions(t *testing.T) {
 			viper.Set(flag.SkipDBUpdateFlag.ConfigName, tt.fields.SkipDBUpdate)
 			viper.Set(flag.DownloadDBOnlyFlag.ConfigName, tt.fields.DownloadDBOnly)
 			viper.Set(flag.LightFlag.ConfigName, tt.fields.Light)
+			viper.Set(flag.DBRepositoryFlag.ConfigName, tt.fields.DBRepository)
+			viper.Set(flag.JavaDBRepositoryFlag.ConfigName, tt.fields.JavaDBRepository)
 
 			// Assert options
 			f := &flag.DBFlagGroup{
-				DownloadDBOnly: flag.DownloadDBOnlyFlag.Clone(),
-				SkipDBUpdate:   flag.SkipDBUpdateFlag.Clone(),
-				Light:          flag.LightFlag.Clone(),
+				DownloadDBOnly:   flag.DownloadDBOnlyFlag.Clone(),
+				SkipDBUpdate:     flag.SkipDBUpdateFlag.Clone(),
+				Light:            flag.LightFlag.Clone(),
+				DBRepository:     flag.DBRepositoryFlag.Clone(),
+				JavaDBRepository: flag.JavaDBRepositoryFlag.Clone(),
 			}
 			got, err := f.ToOptions()
 			tt.assertion(t, err)
-			assert.Equalf(t, tt.want, got, "ToOptions()")
+			assert.EqualExportedValues(t, tt.want, got)
 
 			// Assert log messages
 			var gotMessages []string
diff --git a/pkg/javadb/client.go b/pkg/javadb/client.go
index faa110a8460a..86194b263569 100644
--- a/pkg/javadb/client.go
+++ b/pkg/javadb/client.go
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
-	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy-java-db/pkg/db"
@@ -22,13 +22,16 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	mediaType = "application/vnd.aquasec.trivy.javadb.layer.v1.tar+gzip"
+	SchemaVersion = db.SchemaVersion
+	mediaType     = "application/vnd.aquasec.trivy.javadb.layer.v1.tar+gzip"
 )
 
+var DefaultRepository = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", "ghcr.io/aquasecurity/trivy-java-db", SchemaVersion)
+
 var updater *Updater
 
 type Updater struct {
-	repo           string
+	repo           name.Reference
 	dbDir          string
 	skip           bool
 	quiet          bool
@@ -50,14 +53,14 @@ func (u *Updater) Update() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (meta.Version != db.SchemaVersion || meta.NextUpdate.Before(time.Now().UTC())) && !u.skip {
+	if (meta.Version != SchemaVersion || meta.NextUpdate.Before(time.Now().UTC())) && !u.skip {
 		// Download DB
 		log.Logger.Infof("Java DB Repository: %s", u.repo)
 		log.Logger.Info("Downloading the Java DB...")
 
 		// TODO: support remote options
 		var a *oci.Artifact
-		if a, err = oci.NewArtifact(u.repo, u.quiet, u.registryOption); err != nil {
+		if a, err = oci.NewArtifact(u.repo.String(), u.quiet, u.registryOption); err != nil {
 			return xerrors.Errorf("oci error: %w", err)
 		}
 		if err = a.Download(context.Background(), dbDir, oci.DownloadOption{MediaType: mediaType}); err != nil {
@@ -82,12 +85,7 @@ func (u *Updater) Update() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func Init(cacheDir, javaDBRepository string, skip, quiet bool, registryOption ftypes.RegistryOptions) {
-	// Add the schema version as a tag if the tag doesn't exist.
-	// This is required for backward compatibility.
-	if !strings.Contains(javaDBRepository, ":") {
-		javaDBRepository = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", javaDBRepository, db.SchemaVersion)
-	}
+func Init(cacheDir string, javaDBRepository name.Reference, skip, quiet bool, registryOption ftypes.RegistryOptions) {
 	updater = &Updater{
 		repo:           javaDBRepository,
 		dbDir:          filepath.Join(cacheDir, "java-db"),
diff --git a/pkg/rpc/server/listen.go b/pkg/rpc/server/listen.go
index 33a3a8ee8a81..7433bf20a560 100644
--- a/pkg/rpc/server/listen.go
+++ b/pkg/rpc/server/listen.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/NYTimes/gziphandler"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
 	"github.com/twitchtv/twirp"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 
@@ -33,14 +34,14 @@ type Server struct {
 	cacheDir     string
 	token        string
 	tokenHeader  string
-	dbRepository string
+	dbRepository name.Reference
 
 	// For OCI registries
 	types.RegistryOptions
 }
 
 // NewServer returns an instance of Server
-func NewServer(appVersion, addr, cacheDir, token, tokenHeader, dbRepository string, opt types.RegistryOptions) Server {
+func NewServer(appVersion, addr, cacheDir, token, tokenHeader string, dbRepository name.Reference, opt types.RegistryOptions) Server {
 	return Server{
 		appVersion:      appVersion,
 		addr:            addr,