diff --git a/swh/loader/git/from_disk.py b/swh/loader/git/from_disk.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/from_disk.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/from_disk.py
@@ -241,8 +241,19 @@
             else:
                 branches[ref] = None
 
+        dangling_branches = {}
         for ref, target in self.repo.refs.get_symrefs().items():
-            branches[ref] = SnapshotBranch(target=target, target_type=TargetType.ALIAS,)
+            branches[ref] = SnapshotBranch(target=target, target_type=TargetType.ALIAS)
+            if target not in branches:
+                # This handles the case where the pointer is "dangling".
+                # There's a chance that a further symbolic reference will
+                # override this default value, which is totally fine.
+                dangling_branches[target] = ref
+                branches[target] = None
+
+        utils.warn_dangling_branches(
+            branches, dangling_branches, self.log, self.origin_url
+        )
 
         self.snapshot = Snapshot(branches=branches)
         return self.snapshot
diff --git a/swh/loader/git/loader.py b/swh/loader/git/loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/loader.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from swh.loader.core.loader import DVCSLoader
 from swh.storage.algos.snapshot import snapshot_get_all_branches
 
-from . import converters
+from . import converters, utils
 
 
 def ignore_branch_name(branch_name: bytes) -> bool:
@@ -456,11 +456,18 @@
                 # and we can get it from the base snapshot later.
                 unfetched_refs[ref_name] = target
 
+        dangling_branches = {}
         # Handle symbolic references as alias branches
         for ref_name, target in self.symbolic_refs.items():
             branches[ref_name] = SnapshotBranch(
                 target_type=TargetType.ALIAS, target=target,
             )
+            if target not in branches and target not in unfetched_refs:
+                # This handles the case where the pointer is "dangling".
+                # There's a chance that a further symbolic reference
+                # override this default value, which is totally fine.
+                dangling_branches[target] = ref_name
+                branches[target] = None
 
         if unfetched_refs:
             # Handle inference of object types from the contents of the
@@ -492,6 +499,10 @@
                     )
                 )
 
+        utils.warn_dangling_branches(
+            branches, dangling_branches, self.log, self.origin_url
+        )
+
         self.snapshot = Snapshot(branches=branches)
         return self.snapshot
 
diff --git a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_from_disk.py b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_from_disk.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_from_disk.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_from_disk.py
@@ -314,6 +314,33 @@
             "target_type": "revision",
         }
 
+    def test_load_dangling_symref(self):
+        with open(os.path.join(self.destination_path, ".git/HEAD"), "wb") as f:
+            f.write(b"ref: refs/heads/dangling-branch\n")
+
+        res = self.load()
+        self.assertEqual(res["status"], "eventful", res)
+
+        self.assertContentsContain(CONTENT1)
+        self.assertCountDirectories(7)
+        self.assertCountReleases(0)  # FIXME: should be 2 after T2059
+        self.assertCountRevisions(7)
+        self.assertCountSnapshots(1)
+
+        visit = self.storage.origin_visit_get_latest(self.repo_url)
+        snapshot_id = visit["snapshot"]
+        assert snapshot_id is not None
+        assert visit["status"] == "full"
+
+        snapshot = self.storage.snapshot_get(snapshot_id)
+        branches = snapshot["branches"]
+
+        assert branches[b"HEAD"] == {
+            "target": b"refs/heads/dangling-branch",
+            "target_type": "alias",
+        }
+        assert branches[b"refs/heads/dangling-branch"] is None
+
 
 class GitLoaderFromArchiveTest(BaseGitLoaderFromArchiveTest, GitLoaderFromDiskTests):
     """Tests for GitLoaderFromArchive. Imports the common ones
diff --git a/swh/loader/git/utils.py b/swh/loader/git/utils.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/utils.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2017  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2017-2020  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
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@
 """Utilities helper functions"""
 
 import datetime
+import logging
 import os
 import shutil
 import tempfile
+from typing import Dict, Optional
 
 from swh.core import tarball
+from swh.model.model import SnapshotBranch
 
 
 def init_git_repo_from_archive(project_name, archive_path, root_temp_dir="/tmp"):
@@ -73,3 +76,27 @@
     if not timestamp:
         return None
     datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp, datetime.timezone.utc)
+
+
+def warn_dangling_branches(
+    branches: Dict[bytes, Optional[SnapshotBranch]],
+    dangling_branches: Dict[bytes, bytes],
+    logger: logging.Logger,
+    origin_url: str,
+) -> None:
+    dangling_branches = {
+        target: ref for target, ref in dangling_branches.items() if not branches[target]
+    }
+
+    if dangling_branches:
+        descr = [f"{ref!r}->{target!r}" for target, ref in dangling_branches.items()]
+
+        logger.warning(
+            "Dangling symbolic references: %s",
+            ", ".join(descr),
+            extra={
+                "swh_type": "swh_loader_git_dangling_symrefs",
+                "swh_refs": descr,
+                "origin_url": origin_url,
+            },
+        )