diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 830bf24..fa6e0a8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,12 +25,16 @@ See the file `test/main.py` for usage examples.
 
 ## API reference
 
-### `configure_and_or_load(table_table, db_path, load, verbose)`
+### `valve(table_table, db_path, command, verbose, config_table="table")`
 
-Given a path to a table table file (table.tsv), a directory in which to find/create a database: configure the database using the configuration which can be looked up using the table table, and optionally load it if the `load` flag is set to true. If the `verbose` flag is also set to true, output progress messages while loading.
-
-
-Returns the configuration map back as a JSON string.
+Given a path to a configuration table (either a table.tsv file or a database containing a
+table named "table"), and a directory in which to find/create a database: configure the
+database using the configuration which can be looked up using the table table, and
+optionally create and/or load it according to the value of `command`
+(see [Valve Command](#ValveCommand)). If the `verbose` flag is set to true, output status
+messages while loading. If `config_table` (which defaults to "table") is given and
+`table_table` indicates a database, query the table called `config_table` for the
+table table information. Returns the configuration map as a String.
 
 ### `get_matching_values(config, db_path, table_name, column_name, matching_string)`
 
@@ -48,6 +52,22 @@ Given a config map represented as a JSON string, a directory in which the databa
 
 Given a config map represented as a JSON string, a directory in which the database is located, a table name, and a row represented as a JSON string, insert the new row to the database.
 
+### ValveCommand
+
+The following commands may be used with the valve() function.
+
+#### ValveCommand.Config
+
+Configure but do not create or load.
+
+#### ValveCommand.Create
+
+Configure and create but do not load.
+
+#### ValveCommand.Load
+
+Configure, create, and load.
+
 ## Before creating a new release
 
 Edit the file `VALVE.VERSION` and adjust the version of valve.py (and, if necessary, valve.rs). After pushing your commit, create a new release in GitHub with the new version number as the release name and tag.
diff --git a/VALVE.VERSION b/VALVE.VERSION
index ae3d3da..f43c51e 100644
--- a/VALVE.VERSION
+++ b/VALVE.VERSION
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-valve.rs 0.2.0
-valve.py 0.2.0
+valve.rs 0.2.1
+valve.py 0.2.1
diff --git a/test/main.py b/test/main.py
index 7075097..8d0ce77 100755
--- a/test/main.py
+++ b/test/main.py
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
 import sys
 import time
 from ontodev_valve import (
-    configure_and_or_load,
+    valve,
     get_matching_values,
     validate_row,
     update_row,
     insert_new_row,
+    ValveCommand,
 )
 
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
@@ -56,9 +57,9 @@ def warn(message, suppress_time=True):
             sys.exit(1)
 
     if args.load:
-        config = configure_and_or_load(args.table, args.db, True, False)
+        config = valve(args.table, args.db, ValveCommand.Load, False)
     elif args.insert_update:
-        config = configure_and_or_load(args.table, args.db, False, False)
+        config = valve(args.table, args.db, ValveCommand.Config, False)
         matching_values = get_matching_values(config, args.db, "table2", "child")
         matching_values = json.loads(matching_values)
         assert matching_values == [
diff --git a/valve_py.rs b/valve_py.rs
index e2809ed..830597c 100644
--- a/valve_py.rs
+++ b/valve_py.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 use crate::{
-    configure_and_or_load as configure_and_or_load_rs,
     get_compiled_datatype_conditions as get_compiled_datatype_conditions_rs,
     get_compiled_rule_conditions as get_compiled_rule_conditions_rs,
     get_parsed_structure_conditions as get_parsed_structure_conditions_rs,
     insert_new_row as insert_new_row_rs, update_row as update_row_rs,
     validate::get_matching_values as get_matching_values_rs,
-    validate::validate_row as validate_row_rs, valve_grammar::StartParser,
+    validate::validate_row as validate_row_rs, valve as valve_rs, valve_grammar::StartParser,
+    ValveCommand as ValveCommandRs,
 };
 use futures::executor::block_on;
-use pyo3::prelude::{pyfunction, pymodule, wrap_pyfunction, PyModule, PyResult, Python};
+use pyo3::prelude::{pyclass, pyfunction, pymodule, wrap_pyfunction, PyModule, PyResult, Python};
 use serde_json::Value as SerdeValue;
 use sqlx::{
     any::{AnyConnectOptions, AnyKind, AnyPoolOptions},
@@ -26,18 +26,45 @@ fn get_connection_string(db_path: &str) -> String {
     }
 }
 
-/// Given a path to a table table file (table.tsv), a directory in which to find/create a database:
-/// configure the database using the configuration which can be looked up using the table table,
-/// and optionally load it if the `load` flag is set to true. If the `verbose` flag is also set to
-/// true, output progress messages while loading.
+/// Various VALVE commands, used with [valve()](valve).
+#[pyclass]
+#[derive(Clone)]
+enum ValveCommand {
+    /// Configure but do not create or load.
+    Config = 0,
+    /// Configure and create but do not load.
+    Create = 1,
+    /// Configure, create, and load.
+    Load = 2,
+}
+
+/// Given a path to a configuration table (either a table.tsv file or a database containing a
+/// table named "table"), and a directory in which to find/create a database: configure the
+/// database using the configuration which can be looked up using the table table, and
+/// optionally create and/or load it according to the value of `command` (see [ValveCommand]).
+/// If the `verbose` flag is set to true, output status messages while loading. If `config_table`
+/// (defaults to "table") is given and `table_table` indicates a database, query the table called
+/// `config_table` for the table table information. Returns the configuration map as a String.
 #[pyfunction]
-fn configure_and_or_load(
+fn valve(
     table_table: &str,
     db_path: &str,
-    load: bool,
+    command: ValveCommand,
     verbose: bool,
+    config_table: Option<&str>,
 ) -> PyResult<String> {
-    let config = block_on(configure_and_or_load_rs(table_table, db_path, load, verbose)).unwrap();
+    let config_table = match config_table {
+        None => "table",
+        Some(table) => table,
+    };
+    let config = {
+        let valve_command = match command {
+            ValveCommand::Config => ValveCommandRs::Config,
+            ValveCommand::Create => ValveCommandRs::Create,
+            ValveCommand::Load => ValveCommandRs::Load,
+        };
+        block_on(valve_rs(table_table, db_path, &valve_command, verbose, config_table)).unwrap()
+    };
     Ok(config)
 }
 
@@ -174,10 +201,11 @@ fn insert_new_row(config: &str, db_path: &str, table_name: &str, row: &str) -> P
 
 #[pymodule]
 fn ontodev_valve(_py: Python, m: &PyModule) -> PyResult<()> {
-    m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(configure_and_or_load, m)?)?;
+    m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(valve, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(get_matching_values, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(validate_row, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(update_row, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(insert_new_row, m)?)?;
+    m.add_class::<ValveCommand>()?;
     Ok(())
 }