diff --git a/swh/web/ui/backend.py b/swh/web/ui/backend.py
--- a/swh/web/ui/backend.py
+++ b/swh/web/ui/backend.py
@@ -80,17 +80,18 @@
         return res[0]
 
 
-def origin_get(origin_id):
-    """Return information about the origin with id origin_id.
+def origin_get(origin):
+    """Return information about the origin matching dict origin.
 
     Args:
-        origin_id: origin's identifier
+        origin: origin's dict with keys either 'id' or
+        ('type' AND 'url')
 
     Returns:
         Origin information as dict.
 
     """
-    return main.storage().origin_get({'id': origin_id})
+    return main.storage().origin_get(origin)
 
 
 def person_get(person_id):
diff --git a/swh/web/ui/service.py b/swh/web/ui/service.py
--- a/swh/web/ui/service.py
+++ b/swh/web/ui/service.py
@@ -73,17 +73,18 @@
     return converters.from_origin(origin)
 
 
-def lookup_origin(origin_id):
-    """Return information about the origin with id origin_id.
+def lookup_origin(origin):
+    """Return information about the origin matching dict origin.
 
     Args:
-        origin_id as string
+        origin: origin's dict with keys either 'id' or
+        ('type' AND 'url')
 
     Returns:
         origin information as dict.
 
     """
-    return backend.origin_get(origin_id)
+    return backend.origin_get(origin)
 
 
 def lookup_person(person_id):
diff --git a/swh/web/ui/tests/test_backend.py b/swh/web/ui/tests/test_backend.py
--- a/swh/web/ui/tests/test_backend.py
+++ b/swh/web/ui/tests/test_backend.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
         self.storage.content_missing_per_sha1.assert_called_with(sha1s_bin)
 
     @istest
-    def origin_get(self):
+    def origin_get_by_id(self):
         # given
         self.storage.origin_get = MagicMock(return_value={
             'id': 'origin-id',
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@
             'type': 'ftp'})
 
         # when
-        actual_origin = backend.origin_get('origin-id')
+        actual_origin = backend.origin_get({'id': 'origin-id'})
 
         # then
         self.assertEqual(actual_origin, {'id': 'origin-id',
@@ -196,6 +196,31 @@
         self.storage.origin_get.assert_called_with({'id': 'origin-id'})
 
     @istest
+    def origin_get_by_type_url(self):
+        # given
+        self.storage.origin_get = MagicMock(return_value={
+            'id': 'origin-id',
+            'lister': 'uuid-lister',
+            'project': 'uuid-project',
+            'url': 'ftp://some/url/to/origin',
+            'type': 'ftp'})
+
+        # when
+        actual_origin = backend.origin_get({'type': 'ftp',
+                                            'url': 'ftp://some/url/to/origin'})
+
+        # then
+        self.assertEqual(actual_origin, {'id': 'origin-id',
+                                         'lister': 'uuid-lister',
+                                         'project': 'uuid-project',
+                                         'url': 'ftp://some/url/to/origin',
+                                         'type': 'ftp'})
+
+        self.storage.origin_get.assert_called_with(
+            {'type': 'ftp',
+             'url': 'ftp://some/url/to/origin'})
+
+    @istest
     def person_get(self):
         # given
         self.storage.person_get = MagicMock(return_value=[{
diff --git a/swh/web/ui/tests/test_service.py b/swh/web/ui/tests/test_service.py
--- a/swh/web/ui/tests/test_service.py
+++ b/swh/web/ui/tests/test_service.py
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@
             'type': 'ftp'})
 
         # when
-        actual_origin = service.lookup_origin('origin-id')
+        actual_origin = service.lookup_origin({'id': 'origin-id'})
 
         # then
         self.assertEqual(actual_origin, {'id': 'origin-id',
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@
                                          'url': 'ftp://some/url/to/origin',
                                          'type': 'ftp'})
 
-        mock_backend.origin_get.assert_called_with('origin-id')
+        mock_backend.origin_get.assert_called_with({'id': 'origin-id'})
 
     @patch('swh.web.ui.service.backend')
     @istest