diff --git a/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py b/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 
 @attr.s
 class DebianFileMetadata:
-    md5sum = attr.ib(type=str)
     name = attr.ib(type=str)
     """Filename"""
     sha256 = attr.ib(type=str)
@@ -49,6 +48,9 @@
     uri = attr.ib(type=str)
     """URL of this specific file"""
 
+    # md5sum is not always available, make it optional
+    md5sum = attr.ib(type=str, default="")
+
     # Some of the DSC files imported in swh apparently had a Checksums-SHA512
     # field which got recorded in the archive. Current versions of dpkg-source
     # don't seem to generate them, but keep the field available for
diff --git a/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py b/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py
--- a/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py
+++ b/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
+from copy import deepcopy
 import logging
 from os import path
 
@@ -303,6 +304,18 @@
     assert dsc_name is None
 
 
+def test_debian_dsc_information_missing_md5sum():
+    package_files = deepcopy(PACKAGE_FILES)
+
+    for package_metadata in package_files["files"].values():
+        del package_metadata["md5sum"]
+
+    p_info = DebianPackageInfo.from_metadata(package_files, url=URL)
+
+    for debian_file_metadata in p_info.files.values():
+        assert not debian_file_metadata.md5sum
+
+
 def test_debian_dsc_information_too_many_dsc_entries():
     # craft an extra dsc file
     fname = "cicero_0.7.2-3.dsc"