diff --git a/conf/init/service/gcworker/run b/conf/init/service/gcworker/run
index 6a843d4b8..d31f814a4 100755
--- a/conf/init/service/gcworker/run
+++ b/conf/init/service/gcworker/run
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 echo 'Starting GC worker'
 
 cd /
-venv/bin/python -m workers.gcworker 2>&1
+venv/bin/python -m workers.gc.gcworker 2>&1
 
 echo 'Repository GC exited'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/workers/gc/__init__.py b/workers/gc/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/workers/gc/gcworker.py b/workers/gc/gcworker.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0fc769a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workers/gc/gcworker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+from app import app
+from data.database import UseThenDisconnect
+from workers.gc.models_pre_oci import pre_oci_model as model
+from workers.worker import Worker
+
+
+class GarbageCollectionWorker(Worker):
+  def __init__(self):
+    super(GarbageCollectionWorker, self).__init__()
+    self.add_operation(self._garbage_collection_repos,
+                       app.config.get('GARBAGE_COLLECTION_FREQUENCY', 30))
+
+  def _garbage_collection_repos(self):
+    """ Performs garbage collection on repositories. """
+    with UseThenDisconnect(app.config):
+      model.perform_garbage_collection()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  worker = GarbageCollectionWorker()
+  worker.start()
diff --git a/workers/gc/models_interface.py b/workers/gc/models_interface.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..561d1ae0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workers/gc/models_interface.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
+
+from six import add_metaclass
+
+
+@add_metaclass(ABCMeta)
+class GCWorkerDataInterface(object):
+  """
+  Interface that represents all data store interactions required by the GC worker.
+  """
+
+  @abstractmethod
+  def perform_garbage_collection(self):
+    """ Performs garbage collection on a single repository, if any can be found with garbage. """
+    pass
diff --git a/workers/gc/models_pre_oci.py b/workers/gc/models_pre_oci.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e672007e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workers/gc/models_pre_oci.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import logging
+
+from data.model.repository import (
+  find_repository_with_garbage, garbage_collect_repo, get_random_gc_policy)
+
+from workers.gc.models_interface import GCWorkerDataInterface
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class PreOCIModel(GCWorkerDataInterface):
+  def perform_garbage_collection(self):
+    repository = find_repository_with_garbage(get_random_gc_policy())
+    if repository is None:
+      logger.debug('No repository with garbage found')
+      return
+
+    logger.debug('Starting GC of repository #%s (%s)', repository.id, repository.name)
+    garbage_collect_repo(repository)
+    logger.debug('Finished GC of repository #%s (%s)', repository.id, repository.name)
+
+
+pre_oci_model = PreOCIModel()
diff --git a/workers/gc/test/test_gcworker.py b/workers/gc/test/test_gcworker.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a153cf460
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workers/gc/test/test_gcworker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+from workers.gc.gcworker import GarbageCollectionWorker
+
+from test.fixtures import *
+
+
+def test_gc(initialized_db):
+  worker = GarbageCollectionWorker()
+  worker._garbage_collection_repos()
diff --git a/workers/gcworker.py b/workers/gcworker.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e43bd2262..000000000
--- a/workers/gcworker.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-import logging
-
-from app import app
-from data.model.repository import (find_repository_with_garbage, garbage_collect_repo,
-                                   get_random_gc_policy)
-
-from workers.worker import Worker
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-class GarbageCollectionWorker(Worker):
-  def __init__(self):
-    super(GarbageCollectionWorker, self).__init__()
-    self.add_operation(self._garbage_collection_repos,
-                       app.config.get('GARBAGE_COLLECTION_FREQUENCY', 30))
-
-  def _garbage_collection_repos(self):
-    """ Performs garbage collection on repositories. """
-    repository = find_repository_with_garbage(get_random_gc_policy())
-    if repository is None:
-      logger.debug('No repository with garbage found')
-      return
-
-    logger.debug('Starting GC of repository #%s (%s)', repository.id, repository.name)
-    garbage_collect_repo(repository)
-    logger.debug('Finished GC of repository #%s (%s)', repository.id, repository.name)
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-  worker = GarbageCollectionWorker()
-  worker.start()