diff --git a/gratipay/models/package/__init__.py b/gratipay/models/package/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..24af56d724
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gratipay/models/package/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
+
+from postgres.orm import Model
+
+
+NPM = 'npm'  # We are starting with a single package manager. If we see
+             # traction we will expand.
+
+
+class Package(Model):
+    """Represent a gratipackage. :-)
+    """
+
+    typname = 'packages'
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        if not isinstance(other, Package):
+            return False
+        return self.id == other.id
+
+    def __ne__(self, other):
+        if not isinstance(other, Package):
+            return True
+        return self.id != other.id
+
+
+    # Constructors
+    # ============
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_id(cls, id):
+        """Return an existing package based on id.
+        """
+        return cls.db.one("SELECT packages.*::packages FROM packages WHERE id=%s", (id,))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_names(cls, package_manager, name):
+        """Return an existing package based on package manager and package names.
+        """
+        return cls.db.one("SELECT packages.*::packages FROM packages "
+                          "WHERE package_manager=%s and name=%s", (package_manager, name))
diff --git a/gratipay/testing/harness.py b/gratipay/testing/harness.py
index fb9da6c765..bf8da42fe2 100644
--- a/gratipay/testing/harness.py
+++ b/gratipay/testing/harness.py
@@ -181,13 +181,14 @@ def make_team(self, *a, **kw):
         return team
 
 
-    def make_package(self, package_manager, name, description, emails):
+    def make_package(self, package_manager='npm', name='foo', description='Foo',
+                                                                     emails=['alice@example.com']):
         """Factory for packages.
         """
-        self.db.one( 'INSERT INTO packages (package_manager, name, description, emails) '
-                     'VALUES (%s, %s, %s, %s) RETURNING *'
-                   , (package_manager, name, description, emails)
-                    )
+        return self.db.one( 'INSERT INTO packages (package_manager, name, description, emails) '
+                            'VALUES (%s, %s, %s, %s) RETURNING *'
+                          , (package_manager, name, description, emails)
+                           )
 
 
     def make_participant(self, username, **kw):
diff --git a/gratipay/wireup.py b/gratipay/wireup.py
index 66c0f18df8..8e5b36df59 100644
--- a/gratipay/wireup.py
+++ b/gratipay/wireup.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 from gratipay.models.community import Community
 from gratipay.models.country import Country
 from gratipay.models.exchange_route import ExchangeRoute
+from gratipay.models.package import Package
 from gratipay.models.participant import Participant
 from gratipay.models.participant.mixins import Identity
 from gratipay.models.team import Team
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ def db(env):
     maxconn = env.database_maxconn
     db = GratipayDB(dburl, maxconn=maxconn)
 
-    for model in (AccountElsewhere, Community, Country, ExchangeRoute, Participant, Team):
+    for model in (AccountElsewhere, Community, Country, ExchangeRoute, Package, Participant, Team):
         db.register_model(model)
     gratipay.billing.payday.Payday.db = db
 
diff --git a/tests/py/test_packages.py b/tests/py/test_packages.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b97e888377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/py/test_packages.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
+
+from gratipay.models.package import NPM, Package
+from gratipay.testing import Harness
+
+
+class TestPackage(Harness):
+
+    def test_can_be_instantiated_from_id(self):
+        p = self.make_package()
+        assert Package.from_id(p.id).id == p.id
+
+    def test_can_be_instantiated_from_names(self):
+        self.make_package()
+        assert Package.from_names(NPM, 'foo').name == 'foo'
diff --git a/tests/py/test_www_npm_package.py b/tests/py/test_www_npm_package.py
index f719cb6930..8f9c5bec45 100644
--- a/tests/py/test_www_npm_package.py
+++ b/tests/py/test_www_npm_package.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 class TestAnon(Harness):
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.make_package('npm', 'foo', 'The foo package', ['alice@example.com'])
+        self.make_package()
 
     def test_gets_signin_page(self):
         assert 'npm/foo</a> has not been claimed' in self.client.GET('/on/npm/foo/').body
diff --git a/www/on/npm/%package/index.html.spt b/www/on/npm/%package/index.html.spt
index 626306c03c..e9d0693bff 100644
--- a/www/on/npm/%package/index.html.spt
+++ b/www/on/npm/%package/index.html.spt
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import requests
 
 from aspen import Response
 from gratipay.utils import markdown
+from gratipay.models.package import Package
 [---]
 package_name = request.path['package']
-package = website.db.one("select * from packages where package_manager='npm' "
-                         "and name=%s", (package_name,))
+package = Package.from_names('npm', package_name)
 if package is None:
     raise Response(404)
 banner = package_name