diff --git a/swh/scheduler/backend.py b/swh/scheduler/backend.py
--- a/swh/scheduler/backend.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/backend.py
@@ -137,6 +137,31 @@
         cur.execute(query)
         return cur.fetchall()
 
+    @db_transaction()
+    def get_lister(
+        self, name: str, instance_name: Optional[str] = None, db=None, cur=None
+    ) -> Optional[Lister]:
+        """Retrieve information about the given instance of the lister from the
+        database.
+        """
+        if instance_name is None:
+            instance_name = ""
+
+        select_cols = ", ".join(Lister.select_columns())
+
+        query = f"""
+            select {select_cols} from listers
+              where (name, instance_name) = (%s, %s)
+        """
+
+        cur.execute(query, (name, instance_name))
+
+        ret = cur.fetchone()
+        if not ret:
+            return None
+
+        return Lister(**ret)
+
     @db_transaction()
     def get_or_create_lister(
         self, name: str, instance_name: Optional[str] = None, db=None, cur=None
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/interface.py b/swh/scheduler/interface.py
--- a/swh/scheduler/interface.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/interface.py
@@ -262,6 +262,15 @@
         """Search task run for a task id"""
         ...
 
+    @remote_api_endpoint("lister/get")
+    def get_lister(
+        self, name: str, instance_name: Optional[str] = None
+    ) -> Optional[Lister]:
+        """Retrieve information about the given instance of the lister from the
+        database.
+        """
+        ...
+
     @remote_api_endpoint("lister/get_or_create")
     def get_or_create_lister(
         self, name: str, instance_name: Optional[str] = None
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_api_client.py b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_api_client.py
--- a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_api_client.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_api_client.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
     expected_rules = set(
         "/" + rule
         for rule in (
+            "lister/get",
             "lister/get_or_create",
             "lister/update",
             "origins/get",
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_scheduler.py b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_scheduler.py
--- a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -646,6 +646,21 @@
 
             assert lister == lister_get_again
 
+    def test_get_lister(self, swh_scheduler):
+        for lister_args in LISTERS:
+            assert swh_scheduler.get_lister(**lister_args) is None
+
+        db_listers = []
+        for lister_args in LISTERS:
+            db_listers.append(swh_scheduler.get_or_create_lister(**lister_args))
+
+        for lister, lister_args in zip(db_listers, LISTERS):
+            lister_get_again = swh_scheduler.get_lister(
+                lister.name, lister.instance_name
+            )
+
+            assert lister == lister_get_again
+
     def test_update_lister(self, swh_scheduler, stored_lister):
         lister = attr.evolve(stored_lister, current_state={"updated": "now"})