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
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
         for branch_name, branch in self.base_snapshot.branches.items():
             if not branch or branch.target_type == TargetType.ALIAS:
                 continue
-            local_heads.add(hashutil.hash_to_hex(branch.target).encode())
+            local_heads.add(branch.target)
 
         self.heads = local_heads
 
@@ -274,7 +274,9 @@
         self.symbolic_refs = fetch_info.symbolic_refs
 
         self.log.info(
-            "Listed %d refs for repo %s" % (len(self.remote_refs), self.origin.url),
+            "Listed %d refs for repo %s",
+            len(self.remote_refs),
+            self.origin.url,
             extra={
                 "swh_type": "git_repo_list_refs",
                 "swh_repo": self.origin.url,