diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index b7e25d3..4acf028 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -208,6 +208,22 @@ exports.init = function initDB(peer, config) {
     })
   }
 
+  function initializeFeed(opts, cb) {
+    if (!opts.type) return cb(new Error('initializeFeed() requires a `type`'))
+    const keys = opts.keys ?? config.keys
+    const type = opts.type
+
+    const feedRootHash = getFeedRoot(FeedV1.stripAuthor(keys.id), type)
+    if (feedRootHash) return cb(null, feedRootHash)
+
+    const feedRoot = FeedV1.createRoot(keys, type)
+    add(feedRoot, FeedV1.getMsgHash(feedRoot), (err, rec) => {
+      // prettier-ignore
+      if (err) return cb(new Error('initializeFeed() failed to add root', { cause: err }));
+      cb(null, rec.hash)
+    })
+  }
+
   function create(opts, cb) {
     const keys = opts.keys ?? config.keys
 
@@ -276,7 +292,8 @@ exports.init = function initDB(peer, config) {
     })
   }
 
-  function getFeedRoot(findWho, findType) {
+  function getFeedRoot(authorId, findType) {
+    const findWho = FeedV1.stripAuthor(authorId)
     for (const rec of records()) {
       if (FeedV1.isFeedRoot(rec.msg, findWho, findType)) return rec.hash
     }
@@ -354,6 +371,7 @@ exports.init = function initDB(peer, config) {
     installEncryptionFormat,
     loaded,
     add,
+    initializeFeed,
     create,
     getFeedRoot,
     getRecord,
diff --git a/test/initializeFeed.test.js b/test/initializeFeed.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36b508d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/initializeFeed.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+const test = require('tape')
+const path = require('path')
+const os = require('os')
+const rimraf = require('rimraf')
+const SecretStack = require('secret-stack')
+const caps = require('ssb-caps')
+const p = require('util').promisify
+const FeedV1 = require('../lib/feed-v1')
+const { generateKeypair } = require('./util')
+
+const DIR = path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'ppppp-db-initializeFeed')
+rimraf.sync(DIR)
+
+test('initializeFeed()', async (t) => {
+  const keys = generateKeypair('alice')
+  const peer = SecretStack({ appKey: caps.shs })
+    .use(require('../lib'))
+    .use(require('ssb-box'))
+    .call(null, { keys, path: DIR })
+
+  await peer.db.loaded()
+
+  t.notOk(peer.db.getFeedRoot(keys.id, 'profile'), 'no profile feed')
+  const rootHash = await p(peer.db.initializeFeed)({ type: 'profile' })
+  t.pass('initialized feed')
+
+  const rootMsg = FeedV1.createRoot(keys, 'profile')
+  t.equals(rootHash, FeedV1.getMsgHash(rootMsg), 'root hash is consistent')
+
+  t.ok(peer.db.getFeedRoot(keys.id, 'profile'), 'has profile feed')
+
+  await p(peer.close)(true)
+})