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
@@ -659,6 +659,9 @@
         If the svnrdump command failed somehow,
         the produced dump file is analyzed to determine if a partial
         loading is still feasible.
+
+        Raises:
+            NotFound when the repository is no longer found at url
         """
         # Build the svnrdump command line
         svnrdump_cmd = ["svnrdump", "dump", svn_url]
@@ -741,6 +744,12 @@
                     % (last_dumped_rev, last_loaded_svn_rev)
                 )
 
+        if svnrdump.returncode == 1:
+            # Try to detect not found repositories
+            for stderr_line in stderr_lines:
+                if "E170013:" in stderr_line:
+                    raise NotFound(stderr_line)
+
         raise Exception(
             "An error occurred when running svnrdump and "
             "no exploitable dump file has been generated."
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
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@
 
 def test_loader_svn_not_found_no_mock(swh_storage, tmp_path):
     """Given an unknown repository, the loader visit ends up in status not_found"""
-    unknown_repo_url = "unknown-repository"
-    loader = SvnLoader(swh_storage, unknown_repo_url, destination_path=tmp_path)
+    repo_url = "unknown-repository"
+    loader = SvnLoader(swh_storage, repo_url, destination_path=tmp_path)
 
     assert loader.load() == {"status": "uneventful"}
 
     assert_last_visit_matches(
-        swh_storage, unknown_repo_url, status="not_found", type="svn",
+        swh_storage, repo_url, status="not_found", type="svn",
     )
 
 
@@ -92,6 +92,21 @@
     )
 
 
+def test_loader_svnrdump_not_found(swh_storage, tmp_path, mocker):
+    """Given any errors raised, the loader visit ends up in status failed"""
+    unknown_repo_url = "file:///tmp/svn.code.sf.net/p/white-rats-studios/svn"
+
+    loader = SvnLoaderFromRemoteDump(
+        swh_storage, unknown_repo_url, destination_path=tmp_path
+    )
+
+    assert loader.load() == {"status": "uneventful"}
+
+    assert_last_visit_matches(
+        swh_storage, unknown_repo_url, status="not_found", type="svn",
+    )
+
+
 def test_loader_svn_new_visit(swh_storage, datadir, tmp_path):
     """Eventful visit should yield 1 snapshot"""
     archive_name = "pkg-gourmet"