diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/app.py b/src/wuttjamaican/app.py
index 8e4d891..6a5f288 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/app.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/app.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import sys
 import warnings
 
 from wuttjamaican.util import (load_entry_points, load_object,
-                               make_title, make_uuid,
+                               make_title, make_uuid, make_true_uuid,
                                progress_loop, resource_path)
 
 
@@ -491,14 +491,44 @@ class AppHandler:
         """
         return make_title(text)
 
+    def make_true_uuid(self):
+        """
+        Generate a new v7 UUID value.
+
+        By default this simply calls
+        :func:`wuttjamaican.util.make_true_uuid()`.
+
+        :returns: :class:`python:uuid.UUID` instance
+
+        .. warning::
+
+           For now, callers should use this method when they want a
+           proper UUID instance, whereas :meth:`make_uuid()` will
+           always return a string.
+
+           However once all dependent logic has been refactored to
+           support proper UUID data type, then ``make_uuid()`` will
+           return those and this method will eventually be removed.
+        """
+        return make_true_uuid()
+
     def make_uuid(self):
         """
-        Generate a new UUID value.
+        Generate a new v7 UUID value.
 
         By default this simply calls
         :func:`wuttjamaican.util.make_uuid()`.
 
         :returns: UUID value as 32-character string.
+
+        .. warning::
+
+           For now, this method always returns a string.
+
+           However once all dependent logic has been refactored to
+           support proper UUID data type, then this method will return
+           those and the :meth:`make_true_uuid()` method will
+           eventually be removed.
         """
         return make_uuid()
 
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/cli/make_uuid.py b/src/wuttjamaican/cli/make_uuid.py
index 21b9cf7..84f4182 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/cli/make_uuid.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/cli/make_uuid.py
@@ -40,5 +40,5 @@ def make_uuid(
     """
     config = ctx.parent.wutta_config
     app = config.get_app()
-    uuid = app.make_uuid()
+    uuid = app.make_true_uuid()
     sys.stdout.write(f"{uuid}\n")
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/db/alembic/script.py.mako b/src/wuttjamaican/db/alembic/script.py.mako
index fbc4b07..b49109f 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/db/alembic/script.py.mako
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/db/alembic/script.py.mako
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from typing import Sequence, Union
 
 from alembic import op
 import sqlalchemy as sa
+import wuttjamaican.db.util
 ${imports if imports else ""}
 
 # revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/db/alembic/versions/6be0ed225f4d_convert_uuid_types.py b/src/wuttjamaican/db/alembic/versions/6be0ed225f4d_convert_uuid_types.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26db2ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/db/alembic/versions/6be0ed225f4d_convert_uuid_types.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+"""convert uuid types
+
+Revision ID: 6be0ed225f4d
+Revises: 6bf900765500
+Create Date: 2024-11-30 17:03:08.930050
+
+"""
+import uuid as _uuid
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+import wuttjamaican.db.util
+
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision: str = '6be0ed225f4d'
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = '6bf900765500'
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+
+    # upgrade (convert uuid)
+    op.add_column('upgrade', sa.Column('uuid_true', wuttjamaican.db.util.UUID(), nullable=True))
+    upgrade = sa.sql.table('upgrade',
+                           sa.sql.column('uuid'),
+                           sa.sql.column('uuid_true'))
+
+    engine = op.get_bind()
+    cursor = engine.execute(upgrade.select())
+    for row in cursor.fetchall():
+        if row['uuid']:
+            uuid_true = _uuid.UUID(row['uuid'])
+            engine.execute(upgrade.update()\
+                           .where(upgrade.c.uuid == row['uuid'])\
+                           .values({'uuid_true': uuid_true}))
+
+    op.drop_constraint('pk_upgrade', 'upgrade', type_='primary')
+    op.drop_column('upgrade', 'uuid')
+    op.alter_column('upgrade', 'uuid_true', new_column_name='uuid')
+    op.create_primary_key('pk_upgrade', 'upgrade', ['uuid'])
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+
+    # upgrade (convert uuid)
+    op.add_column('upgrade', sa.Column('uuid_str', sa.VARCHAR(length=32), nullable=True))
+    upgrade = sa.sql.table('upgrade',
+                           sa.sql.column('uuid'),
+                           sa.sql.column('uuid_str'))
+
+    engine = op.get_bind()
+    cursor = engine.execute(upgrade.select())
+    for row in cursor.fetchall():
+        if row['uuid']:
+            uuid_str = row['uuid'].hex
+            engine.execute(upgrade.update()\
+                           .where(upgrade.c.uuid == row['uuid'])\
+                           .values({'uuid_str': uuid_str}))
+
+    op.drop_constraint('pk_upgrade', 'upgrade', type_='primary')
+    op.drop_column('upgrade', 'uuid')
+    op.alter_column('upgrade', 'uuid_str', new_column_name='uuid')
+    op.create_primary_key('pk_upgrade', 'upgrade', ['uuid'])
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/upgrades.py b/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/upgrades.py
index c8f3666..6893ba6 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/upgrades.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/upgrades.py
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ from sqlalchemy import orm
 
 from .base import Base, uuid_column, uuid_fk_column
 from wuttjamaican.enum import UpgradeStatus
+from wuttjamaican.db.util import UUID
+from wuttjamaican.util import make_true_uuid
 
 
 class Upgrade(Base):
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ class Upgrade(Base):
     """
     __tablename__ = 'upgrade'
 
-    uuid = uuid_column()
+    uuid = uuid_column(UUID(), default=make_true_uuid)
 
     created = sa.Column(sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False,
                         default=datetime.datetime.now, doc="""
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py b/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py
index 30f9f82..0df0e68 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@
 Database Utilities
 """
 
+import uuid as _uuid
+
 import sqlalchemy as sa
+from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import UUID as PGUUID
 
 from wuttjamaican.util import make_uuid
 
@@ -57,6 +60,51 @@ class ModelBase:
             return getattr(self, key)
 
 
+class UUID(sa.types.TypeDecorator):
+    """
+    Platform-independent UUID type.
+
+    Uses PostgreSQL's UUID type, otherwise uses CHAR(32), storing as
+    stringified hex values.
+
+    This type definition is based on example from the `SQLAlchemy
+    documentation
+    <https://docs.sqlalchemy.org/en/14/core/custom_types.html#backend-agnostic-guid-type>`_.
+    """
+    impl = sa.CHAR
+    cache_ok = True
+    """ """                     # nb. suppress sphinx autodoc for cache_ok
+
+    def load_dialect_impl(self, dialect):
+        """ """
+        if dialect.name == "postgresql":
+            return dialect.type_descriptor(PGUUID())
+        else:
+            return dialect.type_descriptor(sa.CHAR(32))
+
+    def process_bind_param(self, value, dialect):
+        """ """
+        if value is None:
+            return value
+        elif dialect.name == "postgresql":
+            return str(value)
+        else:
+            if not isinstance(value, _uuid.UUID):
+                return "%.32x" % _uuid.UUID(value).int
+            else:
+                # hexstring
+                return "%.32x" % value.int
+
+    def process_result_value(self, value, dialect):
+        """ """
+        if value is None:
+            return value
+        else:
+            if not isinstance(value, _uuid.UUID):
+                value = _uuid.UUID(value)
+            return value
+
+
 def uuid_column(*args, **kwargs):
     """
     Returns a UUID column for use as a table's primary key.
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/util.py b/src/wuttjamaican/util.py
index 48c321d..5574020 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/util.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/util.py
@@ -171,13 +171,43 @@ def make_title(text):
     return ' '.join([x.capitalize() for x in words])
 
 
+def make_true_uuid():
+    """
+    Generate a new v7 UUID value.
+
+    :returns: :class:`python:uuid.UUID` instance
+
+    .. warning::
+
+       For now, callers should use this function when they want a
+       proper UUID instance, whereas :func:`make_uuid()` will always
+       return a string.
+
+       However once all dependent logic has been refactored to support
+       proper UUID data type, then ``make_uuid()`` will return those
+       and this function will eventually be removed.
+    """
+    return uuid7()
+
+
+# TODO: deprecate this logic, and reclaim this name
+# but using the above logic
 def make_uuid():
     """
-    Generate a universally-unique identifier.
+    Generate a new v7 UUID value.
 
     :returns: A 32-character hex string.
+
+    .. warning::
+
+       For now, this function always returns a string.
+
+       However once all dependent logic has been refactored to support
+       proper UUID data type, then this function will return those and
+       the :func:`make_true_uuid()` function will eventually be
+       removed.
     """
-    return uuid7().hex
+    return make_true_uuid().hex
 
 
 def parse_bool(value):
diff --git a/tests/db/test_util.py b/tests/db/test_util.py
index 566b68a..2f0c9ed 100644
--- a/tests/db/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/db/test_util.py
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8; -*-
 
+import uuid as _uuid
 from unittest import TestCase
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 
 try:
     import sqlalchemy as sa
+    from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import UUID as PGUUID
     from wuttjamaican.db import util as mod
     from wuttjamaican.db.model.base import Setting
+    from wuttjamaican.util import make_true_uuid
 except ImportError:
     pass
 else:
@@ -22,6 +26,88 @@ else:
             self.assertEqual(setting['name'], 'foo')
 
 
+    class TestUUID(TestCase):
+
+        def test_load_dialect_impl(self):
+            typ = mod.UUID()
+            dialect = MagicMock()
+
+            # TODO: this doesn't really test anything, but gives us
+            # coverage at least..
+
+            # postgres
+            dialect.name = 'postgresql'
+            dialect.type_descriptor.return_value = 42
+            result = typ.load_dialect_impl(dialect)
+            self.assertTrue(dialect.type_descriptor.called)
+            self.assertEqual(result, 42)
+
+            # other
+            dialect.name = 'mysql'
+            dialect.type_descriptor.return_value = 43
+            dialect.type_descriptor.reset_mock()
+            result = typ.load_dialect_impl(dialect)
+            self.assertTrue(dialect.type_descriptor.called)
+            self.assertEqual(result, 43)
+
+        def test_process_bind_param_postgres(self):
+            typ = mod.UUID()
+            dialect = MagicMock()
+            dialect.name = 'postgresql'
+
+            # null
+            result = typ.process_bind_param(None, dialect)
+            self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+            # string
+            uuid_str = make_true_uuid().hex
+            result = typ.process_bind_param(uuid_str, dialect)
+            self.assertEqual(result, uuid_str)
+
+            # uuid
+            uuid_true = make_true_uuid()
+            result = typ.process_bind_param(uuid_true, dialect)
+            self.assertEqual(result, str(uuid_true))
+
+        def test_process_bind_param_other(self):
+            typ = mod.UUID()
+            dialect = MagicMock()
+            dialect.name = 'mysql'
+
+            # null
+            result = typ.process_bind_param(None, dialect)
+            self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+            # string
+            uuid_str = make_true_uuid().hex
+            result = typ.process_bind_param(uuid_str, dialect)
+            self.assertEqual(result, uuid_str)
+
+            # uuid
+            uuid_true = make_true_uuid()
+            result = typ.process_bind_param(uuid_true, dialect)
+            self.assertEqual(result, uuid_true.hex)
+
+        def test_process_result_value(self):
+            typ = mod.UUID()
+            dialect = MagicMock()
+
+            # null
+            result = typ.process_result_value(None, dialect)
+            self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+            # string
+            uuid_str = make_true_uuid().hex
+            result = typ.process_result_value(uuid_str, dialect)
+            self.assertIsInstance(result, _uuid.UUID)
+            self.assertEqual(result.hex, uuid_str)
+
+            # uuid
+            uuid_true = make_true_uuid()
+            result = typ.process_result_value(uuid_true, dialect)
+            self.assertIs(result, uuid_true)
+
+
     class TestUUIDColumn(TestCase):
 
         def test_basic(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index 31d266d..4504ba9 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import shutil
 import sys
 import tempfile
 import warnings
+import uuid as _uuid
 from unittest import TestCase
 from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
 
@@ -385,6 +386,10 @@ app_title = WuttaTest
         uuid = self.app.make_uuid()
         self.assertEqual(len(uuid), 32)
 
+    def test_make_true_uuid(self):
+        uuid = self.app.make_true_uuid()
+        self.assertIsInstance(uuid, _uuid.UUID)
+
     def test_progress_loop(self):
 
         def act(obj, i):