diff --git a/doc/taler-exchange-dbinit.1 b/doc/taler-exchange-dbinit.1
index 92bf83b09..a1559959f 100644
--- a/doc/taler-exchange-dbinit.1
+++ b/doc/taler-exchange-dbinit.1
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.TH TALER\-EXCHANGE\-DBINIT 1 "Apr 22, 2015" "GNU Taler"
+.TH TALER\-EXCHANGE\-DBINIT 1 "May 31, 2016" "GNU Taler"
 
 .SH NAME
 taler\-exchange\-dbinit \- Initialize Taler exchange database.
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ Use the configuration and other resources for the exchange to operate from DIRNA
 .IP "\-h, \-\-help"
 Print short help on options.
 .B
+.IP "\-g, \-\-gc"
+Garbage collect database.  Deletes all unnecessary data in the database.
+.B
 .IP "\-r, \-\-reset"
 Drop tables. Dangerous, will delete all existing data in the database before creating the tables.
 .B
diff --git a/src/exchange-tools/taler-exchange-dbinit.c b/src/exchange-tools/taler-exchange-dbinit.c
index 16d76e4d0..cf768f4ca 100644
--- a/src/exchange-tools/taler-exchange-dbinit.c
+++ b/src/exchange-tools/taler-exchange-dbinit.c
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ static int global_ret;
  */
 static int reset_db;
 
+/**
+ * -g option: garbage collect DB reset
+ */
+static int gc_db;
+
 /**
  * Main function that will be run.
  *
@@ -68,6 +73,12 @@ run (void *cls,
     global_ret = 1;
     return;
   }
+  if (gc_db)
+    {
+      if (GNUNET_SYSERR == plugin->gc (plugin->cls))
+        fprintf (stderr,
+                 "Garbage collection failed!\n");
+    }
   TALER_EXCHANGEDB_plugin_unload (plugin);
 }
 
@@ -88,6 +99,9 @@ main (int argc,
     {'r', "reset", NULL,
      "reset database (DANGEROUS: all existing data is lost!)", 0,
      &GNUNET_GETOPT_set_one, &reset_db},
+    {'g', "gc", NULL,
+     "garbage collect database", 0,
+     &GNUNET_GETOPT_set_one, &gc_db},
     GNUNET_GETOPT_OPTION_END
   };