diff --git a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_loader.py b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
+from swh.model.model import Snapshot, SnapshotBranch, TargetType
+
 from swh.loader.git.loader import GitLoader
-from swh.loader.git.tests.test_from_disk import DirGitLoaderTest
+from swh.loader.git.tests.test_from_disk import SNAPSHOT1, DirGitLoaderTest
 
 from . import TEST_LOADER_CONFIG
 
@@ -24,3 +26,48 @@
 
     def load(self):
         return self.loader.load()
+
+    def test_load_filter_branches(self):
+        filtered_branches = {b"refs/pull/42/merge"}
+        unfiltered_branches = {b"refs/pull/42/head"}
+
+        # Add branches to the repository on disk; some should be filtered by
+        # the loader, some should not.
+        for branch_name in filtered_branches | unfiltered_branches:
+            self.repo[branch_name] = self.repo[b"refs/heads/master"]
+
+        # Generate the expected snapshot from SNAPSHOT1 (which is the original
+        # state of the git repo)...
+        branches = {}
+
+        for branch_name, branch_dict in SNAPSHOT1["branches"].items():
+            target_type_name = branch_dict["target_type"]
+            target_obj = branch_dict["target"]
+
+            if target_type_name != "alias":
+                target = bytes.fromhex(target_obj)
+            else:
+                target = target_obj.encode()
+
+            branch = SnapshotBranch(
+                target=target, target_type=TargetType(target_type_name)
+            )
+            branches[branch_name.encode()] = branch
+
+        # ... and the unfiltered_branches, which are all pointing to the same
+        # commit as "refs/heads/master".
+        for branch_name in unfiltered_branches:
+            branches[branch_name] = branches[b"refs/heads/master"]
+
+        expected_snapshot = Snapshot(branches=branches)
+
+        # Load the modified repository
+        res = self.load()
+        assert res["status"] == "eventful"
+
+        assert self.loader.load_status() == {"status": "eventful"}
+        assert self.loader.visit_status() == "full"
+
+        visit = self.storage.origin_visit_get_latest(self.repo_url)
+        assert visit["snapshot"] == expected_snapshot.id
+        assert visit["status"] == "full"