diff --git a/swh/loader/svn/loader.py b/swh/loader/svn/loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/svn/loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/svn/loader.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2015-2020  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2015-2021  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
@@ -16,9 +16,12 @@
 import tempfile
 from typing import Any, Dict, Iterator, List, Optional, Tuple
 
+from subvertpy import SubversionException
+
 from swh.core.config import merge_configs
 from swh.loader.core.loader import BaseLoader
 from swh.loader.core.utils import clean_dangling_folders
+from swh.loader.exception import NotFound
 from swh.model import from_disk, hashutil
 from swh.model.model import (
     Content,
@@ -398,9 +401,13 @@
                 dir=self.temp_directory,
             )
 
-        self.svnrepo = svn.SvnRepo(
-            self.svn_url, self.origin_url, local_dirname, self.max_content_length
-        )
+        try:
+            self.svnrepo = svn.SvnRepo(
+                self.svn_url, self.origin_url, local_dirname, self.max_content_length
+            )
+        except SubversionException as e:
+            self._load_status = "uneventful"
+            raise NotFound(e)
 
         try:
             revision_start, revision_end, revision_parents = self.start_from(
diff --git a/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_loader.py b/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -36,6 +36,18 @@
 )
 
 
+def test_loader_svn_not_found(swh_config, tmp_path):
+    """Given an unknown repository, the loader visit ends up in status not_found"""
+    unknown_repo_url = "unknown-repository"
+    loader = SvnLoader(unknown_repo_url, destination_path=tmp_path)
+
+    assert loader.load() == {"status": "uneventful"}
+
+    assert_last_visit_matches(
+        loader.storage, unknown_repo_url, status="not_found", type="svn",
+    )
+
+
 def test_loader_svn_new_visit(swh_config, datadir, tmp_path):
     """Eventful visit should yield 1 snapshot"""
     archive_name = "pkg-gourmet"