diff --git a/swh/fuse/fs/artifact.py b/swh/fuse/fs/artifact.py
--- a/swh/fuse/fs/artifact.py
+++ b/swh/fuse/fs/artifact.py
@@ -85,8 +85,20 @@
                 else entry["perms"]
             )
 
-            # 1. Regular file
-            if swhid.object_type == CONTENT:
+            # 1. Symlink (check symlink first because condition is less restrictive)
+            if mode == DentryPerms.symlink:
+                target = ""
+                try:
+                    # Symlink target is stored in the blob content
+                    target = await self.fuse.get_blob(swhid)
+                except Exception:
+                    pass  # Ignore error and create a (broken) symlink anyway
+
+                yield self.create_child(
+                    FuseSymlinkEntry, name=name, target=target,
+                )
+            # 2. Regular file
+            elif swhid.object_type == CONTENT:
                 yield self.create_child(
                     Content,
                     name=name,
@@ -96,24 +108,20 @@
                     # attributes without additional Software Heritage API call
                     prefetch=entry,
                 )
-            # 2. Regular directory
+            # 3. Regular directory
             elif swhid.object_type == DIRECTORY:
                 yield self.create_child(
                     Directory, name=name, mode=mode, swhid=swhid,
                 )
-            # 3. Symlink
-            elif mode == DentryPerms.symlink:
-                yield self.create_child(
-                    FuseSymlinkEntry,
-                    name=name,
-                    # Symlink target is stored in the blob content
-                    target=await self.fuse.get_blob(swhid),
-                )
             # 4. Submodule
             elif swhid.object_type == REVISION:
-                # Make sure the revision metadata is fetched and create a
-                # symlink to distinguish it with regular directories
-                await self.fuse.get_metadata(swhid)
+                try:
+                    # Make sure the revision metadata is fetched and create a
+                    # symlink to distinguish it with regular directories
+                    await self.fuse.get_metadata(swhid)
+                except Exception:
+                    pass  # Ignore error and create a (broken) symlink anyway
+
                 yield self.create_child(
                     FuseSymlinkEntry,
                     name=name,