diff --git a/swh/loader/mercurial/loader.py b/swh/loader/mercurial/loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/mercurial/loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/mercurial/loader.py
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@
         if isinstance(visit_date, str):  # visit_date can be string or datetime
             visit_date = parser.parse(visit_date)
         self.visit_date = visit_date
+        self.last_visit = self.storage.origin_visit_get_latest(
+            self.origin['url'], require_snapshot=True)
 
     def prepare(self, *, origin_url, visit_date, directory=None):
         """Prepare the necessary steps to load an actual remote or local
@@ -508,6 +510,16 @@
             'releases': self.num_releases,
         }
 
+    def load_status(self):
+        snapshot = self.get_snapshot()
+        load_status = 'eventful'
+        if (self.last_visit is not None and
+                self.last_visit['snapshot'] == snapshot['id']):
+            load_status = 'uneventful'
+        return {
+            'status': load_status,
+        }
+
 
 class HgArchiveBundle20Loader(HgBundle20Loader):
     """Mercurial loader for repository wrapped within archives.
diff --git a/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py b/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -144,6 +144,26 @@
         self.assertEqual(self.loader.load_status(), {'status': 'eventful'})
         self.assertEqual(self.loader.visit_status(), 'full')
 
+    def test_load_status(self):
+        # first visit of the mercurial repository
+        self.loader.load(
+            origin_url=self.repo_url,
+            visit_date='2016-05-03 15:16:32+00',
+            directory=self.destination_path)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.loader.load_status(), {'status': 'eventful'})
+        self.assertEqual(self.loader.visit_status(), 'full')
+
+        # second visit with no changes in the mercurial repository
+        # since the first one
+        self.loader.load(
+            origin_url=self.repo_url,
+            visit_date='2016-05-04 14:12:21+00',
+            directory=self.destination_path)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.loader.load_status(), {'status': 'uneventful'})
+        self.assertEqual(self.loader.visit_status(), 'full')
+
 
 class CommonHgLoaderData:
     def assert_data_ok(self):