diff --git a/swh/lister/bitbucket/lister.py b/swh/lister/bitbucket/lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/bitbucket/lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/bitbucket/lister.py
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
-import datetime
 import logging
 import iso8601
 
+from datetime import datetime
+
 from urllib import parse
 
 from swh.lister.bitbucket.models import BitBucketModel
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@
     MODEL = BitBucketModel
     LISTER_NAME = 'bitbucket'
     instance = 'bitbucket'
+    default_min_bound = datetime.utcfromtimestamp(0).isoformat()
 
     def __init__(self, api_baseurl, override_config=None, per_page=100):
         super().__init__(
@@ -54,21 +56,6 @@
         repos = response.json()['values']
         return [self.get_model_from_repo(repo) for repo in repos]
 
-    def db_first_index(self):
-        """For the first time listing, there is no data in db, so fallback to the
-        bitbucket starting year.
-
-        """
-        return super().db_first_index() or '2008-01-01T00:00:00Z'
-
-    def db_last_index(self):
-        """For the first time listing, there is no data in db, so fallback to the time
-           of the first run as max date.
-
-        """
-        return super().db_last_index() or datetime.datetime.now(
-            tz=datetime.timezone.utc).isoformat()
-
     def request_uri(self, identifier):
         return super().request_uri(identifier or '1970-01-01')
 
diff --git a/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py b/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py
@@ -30,8 +30,17 @@
 
 @app.task(name=__name__ + '.FullBitBucketRelister', bind=True)
 def full_bitbucket_relister(self, split=None, **lister_args):
+    """Relist from the beginning of what's already been listed.
+
+    It's not to be called for an initial listing.
+
+    """
     lister = new_lister(**lister_args)
     ranges = lister.db_partition_indices(split or GROUP_SPLIT)
+    if not ranges:
+        self.log.info('Nothing to list')
+        return
+
     random.shuffle(ranges)
     promise = group(range_bitbucket_lister.s(minv, maxv, **lister_args)
                     for minv, maxv in ranges)()
diff --git a/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py b/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 class IndexingLister(ListerBase):
     flush_packet_db = 20
+    default_min_bound = ''
     """Lister* intermediate class for any service that follows the pattern:
 
     - The service must report at least one stable unique identifier, known
@@ -95,17 +96,18 @@
 
     def db_partition_indices(self, partition_size):
         """Describe an index-space compartmentalization of the db table
-            in equal sized chunks. This is used to describe min&max bounds for
-            parallelizing fetch tasks.
+           in equal sized chunks. This is used to describe min&max bounds for
+           parallelizing fetch tasks.
 
         Args:
             partition_size (int): desired size to make each partition
+
         Returns:
             a list of tuples (begin, end) of indexable value that
-                declare approximately equal-sized ranges of existing
-                repos
-        """
+            declare approximately equal-sized ranges of existing
+            repos
 
+        """
         n = max(self.db_num_entries(), 10)
         partition_size = min(partition_size, n)
         n_partitions = n // partition_size
@@ -114,7 +116,8 @@
         max_index = self.db_last_index()
 
         if not min_index or not max_index:
-            raise ValueError("Can't partition an empty range")
+            # Nothing to list
+            return []
 
         if isinstance(min_index, str):
             def format_bound(bound):
@@ -201,7 +204,7 @@
         self.max_index = max_bound
 
         def ingest_indexes():
-            index = min_bound or ''
+            index = min_bound or self.default_min_bound
             for i in count(1):
                 response, injected_repos = self.ingest_data(index)
                 if not response and not injected_repos:
diff --git a/swh/lister/github/tasks.py b/swh/lister/github/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/github/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/github/tasks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2017-2018 the Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2017-2019 the Software Heritage developers
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
@@ -30,8 +30,16 @@
 
 @app.task(name=__name__ + '.FullGitHubRelister', bind=True)
 def full_github_relister(self, split=None, **lister_args):
+    """Relist from the beginning of what's already been listed.
+
+    It's not to be called for an initial listing.
+
+    """
     lister = new_lister(**lister_args)
     ranges = lister.db_partition_indices(split or GROUP_SPLIT)
+    if not ranges:
+        self.log.info('Nothing to list')
+        return
     random.shuffle(ranges)
     promise = group(range_github_lister.s(minv, maxv, **lister_args)
                     for minv, maxv in ranges)()
diff --git a/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py b/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
 
 @app.task(name=__name__ + '.FullGitLabRelister', bind=True)
 def full_gitlab_relister(self, **lister_args):
+    """Full lister
+
+    This should be renamed as such.
+
+    """
     lister = new_lister(**lister_args)
     _, total_pages, _ = lister.get_pages_information()
     ranges = list(utils.split_range(total_pages, NBPAGES))
diff --git a/swh/lister/phabricator/lister.py b/swh/lister/phabricator/lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/phabricator/lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/phabricator/lister.py
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@
         super().__init__(api_baseurl=api_baseurl,
                          override_config=override_config)
 
+    @property
+    def default_min_bound(self):
+        """Starting boundary when `min_bound` is not defined (db empty). This
+           is used within the fn:`run` call.
+
+        """
+        return self._bootstrap_repositories_listing()
+
     def _build_query_params(self, params, api_token):
         """Build query params to include the forge's api token
 
@@ -134,21 +142,6 @@
         self.schedule_missing_tasks(models_list, injected)
         return self.max_index
 
-    def run(self, min_bound=None, max_bound=None):
-        """
-        (Override) Run the lister on the specified Phabricator instance
-
-        Args:
-            min_bound (int): Optional repository index to start the listing
-                after it
-            max_bound (int): Optional repository index to stop the listing
-                after it
-        """
-        # initial call to the lister, we need to bootstrap it in that case
-        if min_bound is None:
-            min_bound = self._bootstrap_repositories_listing()
-        super().run(min_bound, max_bound)
-
 
 def get_repo_url(attachments):
     """