diff --git a/swh/loader/npm/client.py b/swh/loader/npm/client.py
--- a/swh/loader/npm/client.py
+++ b/swh/loader/npm/client.py
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@
         path = os.path.join(self.temp_dir, version)
         os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
         filepath = os.path.join(path, package_source_data['filename'])
-        self.log.debug('Package local path: %s' % filepath)
 
         # download tarball
         url = package_source_data['url']
@@ -181,6 +180,9 @@
         # uncompress tarball
         tarball.uncompress(filepath, path)
 
+        # remove tarball
+        os.remove(filepath)
+
         # do not archive useless tarball root directory
         package_path = os.path.join(path, 'package')
         # some old packages use their name as root directory
@@ -192,6 +194,8 @@
         if not os.path.exists(package_path):
             package_path = path
 
+        self.log.debug('Package local path: %s' % package_path)
+
         package_source_data.update(hashes)
 
         # parse package.json file to add its content to revision metadata
diff --git a/swh/loader/npm/loader.py b/swh/loader/npm/loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/npm/loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/npm/loader.py
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@
                        package_source_data['sha1'])
         self.known_versions[package_key] = revision['id']
 
+        self.log.debug('Removing unpacked package files at %s' % dir_path)
+        shutil.rmtree(dir_path)
+
         return not self.done
 
     def _target_from_version(self, version, sha1):