diff --git a/mypy.ini b/mypy.ini
--- a/mypy.ini
+++ b/mypy.ini
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 [mypy-kombu.*]
 ignore_missing_imports = True
 
+[mypy-pika.*]
+ignore_missing_imports = True
+
 [mypy-pkg_resources.*]
 ignore_missing_imports = True
 
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 Click
 elasticsearch > 5.4
 flask
+pika >= 1.1.0
 psycopg2
 pyyaml
 vcversioner
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/celery_backend/pika_listener.py b/swh/scheduler/celery_backend/pika_listener.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/scheduler/celery_backend/pika_listener.py
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2020  The Software Heritage developers
+# See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
+# License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
+# See top-level LICENSE file for more information
+
+import datetime
+import json
+import logging
+import sys
+
+import pika
+
+from swh.core.statsd import statsd
+from swh.scheduler import get_scheduler
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def utcnow():
+    return datetime.datetime.now(tz=datetime.timezone.utc)
+
+
+def get_listener(broker_url, queue_name, scheduler_backend):
+    connection = pika.BlockingConnection(
+        pika.URLParameters(broker_url)
+    )
+    channel = connection.channel()
+
+    channel.queue_declare(queue=queue_name, durable=True)
+
+    exchange = 'celeryev'
+    routing_key = '#'
+    channel.queue_bind(queue=queue_name, exchange=exchange,
+                       routing_key=routing_key)
+
+    channel.basic_qos(prefetch_count=1000)
+
+    channel.basic_consume(
+        queue=queue_name,
+        on_message_callback=get_on_message(scheduler_backend),
+    )
+
+    return channel
+
+
+def get_on_message(scheduler_backend):
+    def on_message(channel, method_frame, properties, body):
+        try:
+            events = json.loads(body)
+        except Exception:
+            logger.warning('Could not parse body %r', body)
+            events = []
+
+        if not isinstance(events, list):
+            events = [events]
+
+        for event in events:
+            logger.debug('Received event %r', event)
+            process_event(event, scheduler_backend)
+
+        channel.basic_ack(delivery_tag=method_frame.delivery_tag)
+
+    return on_message
+
+
+def process_event(event, scheduler_backend):
+    uuid = event.get('uuid')
+    if not uuid:
+        return
+
+    event_type = event['type']
+    statsd.increment('swh_scheduler_listener_handled_event_total',
+                     tags={'event_type': event_type})
+
+    if event_type == 'task-started':
+        scheduler_backend.start_task_run(
+            uuid, timestamp=utcnow(),
+            metadata={'worker': event.get('hostname')},
+        )
+    elif event_type == 'task-result':
+        result = event['result']
+
+        status = None
+
+        if isinstance(result, dict) and 'status' in result:
+            status = result['status']
+            if status == 'success':
+                status = 'eventful' if result.get('eventful') else 'uneventful'
+
+        if status is None:
+            status = 'eventful' if result else 'uneventful'
+
+        scheduler_backend.end_task_run(uuid, timestamp=utcnow(),
+                                       status=status, result=result)
+    elif event_type == 'task-failed':
+        scheduler_backend.end_task_run(uuid, timestamp=utcnow(),
+                                       status='failed')
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    url = sys.argv[1]
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+    scheduler_backend = get_scheduler('local', args={
+        'db': 'service=swh-scheduler'
+    })
+    channel = get_listener(url, 'celeryev.test', scheduler_backend)
+    logger.info('Start consuming')
+    channel.start_consuming()
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/cli/admin.py b/swh/scheduler/cli/admin.py
--- a/swh/scheduler/cli/admin.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/cli/admin.py
@@ -53,16 +53,21 @@
 
     This service is responsible for listening at task lifecycle events and
     handle their workflow status in the database."""
-    scheduler = ctx.obj['scheduler']
-    if not scheduler:
+    scheduler_backend = ctx.obj['scheduler']
+    if not scheduler_backend:
         raise ValueError('Scheduler class (local/remote) must be instantiated')
 
-    from swh.scheduler.celery_backend.config import build_app
-    app = build_app(ctx.obj['config'].get('celery'))
-    app.set_current()
+    broker = ctx.obj['config']\
+                .get('celery', {})\
+                .get('task_broker', 'amqp://guest@localhost/%2f')
+
+    from swh.scheduler.celery_backend.pika_listener import get_listener
 
-    from swh.scheduler.celery_backend.listener import event_monitor
-    event_monitor(app, backend=scheduler)
+    listener = get_listener(broker, 'celeryev.listener', scheduler_backend)
+    try:
+        listener.start_consuming()
+    finally:
+        listener.stop_consuming()
 
 
 @cli.command('rpc-serve')