diff --git a/cmd/checkdb/main.go b/cmd/checkdb/main.go
index 2a194653..1a4fe5e4 100644
--- a/cmd/checkdb/main.go
+++ b/cmd/checkdb/main.go
@@ -7,13 +7,17 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
 
 	db "golang.org/x/vulndb/internal/database"
 	"golang.org/x/vulndb/internal/database/legacydb"
 )
 
-var legacy = flag.Bool("legacy", false, "if true, check with respect to legacy database schema")
+var (
+	v1     = flag.Bool("v1", true, "if true, check with respect to v1 database schema")
+	legacy = flag.Bool("legacy", false, "if true, check with respect to legacy database schema")
+)
 
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
@@ -21,13 +25,24 @@ func main() {
 	if path == "" {
 		log.Fatal("path must be set\nusage: checkdb [path]")
 	}
-	if *legacy {
-		if _, err := legacydb.Load(path); err != nil {
+	if !*v1 && !*legacy {
+		log.Fatal("no versions set (use flags -v1 and/or -legacy)")
+	}
+	if *v1 {
+		if _, err := db.Load(path); err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
+		fmt.Printf("%s contains valid v1 database\n", path)
 	} else {
-		if _, err := db.Load(path); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("skipping v1 validity check (use flag -v1 to enable)")
+	}
+
+	if *legacy {
+		if _, err := legacydb.Load(path); err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
+		fmt.Printf("%s contains valid legacy database\n", path)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("skipping legacy validity check (use flag -legacy to enable)")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/checkdeploy/main.go b/cmd/checkdeploy/main.go
index edbc3a77..f62f11e1 100644
--- a/cmd/checkdeploy/main.go
+++ b/cmd/checkdeploy/main.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
 
 	db "golang.org/x/vulndb/internal/database"
@@ -28,9 +29,12 @@ func main() {
 	if *existingPath == "" {
 		log.Fatalf("flag -existing must be set")
 	}
+
 	if err := db.ValidateDeploy(*newPath, *existingPath); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
+	fmt.Printf("ok to deploy v1 database %s on top of %s\n", *newPath, *existingPath)
+
 	if *newLegacyPath != "" {
 		if err := legacydb.Validate(*newLegacyPath, *existingPath); err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
@@ -38,5 +42,8 @@ func main() {
 		if err := legacydb.Equivalent(*newPath, *newLegacyPath); err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
+		fmt.Printf("ok to deploy legacy database %s on top of %s\n", *newLegacyPath, *existingPath)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("not checking legacy database deploy (use -legacy flag to set)")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/deploy/build.yaml b/deploy/build.yaml
index 8bb87a5c..9f884e2e 100644
--- a/deploy/build.yaml
+++ b/deploy/build.yaml
@@ -68,4 +68,4 @@ steps:
   - id: PostValidate
     name: golang:1.19.2
     entrypoint: bash
-    args: ["-ec", "go run ./cmd/checkdb /workspace/deployed/go-vulndb"]
+    args: ["-ec", "go run ./cmd/checkdb -v1 -legacy /workspace/deployed/go-vulndb"]