diff --git a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_utils.py b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_utils.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
+from random import shuffle
+
 import pytest
 
 from swh.loader.git import utils
@@ -28,3 +30,24 @@
         timestamp = 2 ** exp
         with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=".*is out of range.*"):
             utils.check_date_time(timestamp)
+
+
+def test_ignore_branch_name():
+    branches = [
+        b"HEAD",
+        b"refs/heads/master",
+        b"refs/{}",
+        b"refs/pull/10/head",  # PR branch filtered
+        b"refs/pull/100/head",  # PR branch filtered
+        b"refs/something/merge",  # merge request branch filtered
+        b"refs/^{}",  # other branch filtered
+    ]
+
+    # order is not interesting
+    shuffle(branches)
+
+    actual_branches = [b for b in branches if not utils.ignore_branch_name(b)]
+
+    assert sorted(actual_branches) == sorted(
+        [b"HEAD", b"refs/heads/master", b"refs/{}"]
+    )
diff --git a/swh/loader/git/utils.py b/swh/loader/git/utils.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/utils.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/utils.py
@@ -83,14 +83,11 @@
 
 def ignore_branch_name(branch_name: bytes) -> bool:
     """Should the git loader ignore the branch named `branch_name`?"""
-    if branch_name.endswith(b"^{}"):
-        # Peeled refs make the git protocol explode
-        return True
-    elif branch_name.startswith(b"refs/pull/") and branch_name.endswith(b"/merge"):
-        # We filter-out auto-merged GitHub pull requests
-        return True
-
-    return False
+    return (
+        branch_name.endswith(b"^{}")
+        or branch_name.startswith(b"refs/pull/")
+        or branch_name.endswith(b"/merge")
+    )
 
 
 def filter_refs(refs: Dict[bytes, bytes]) -> Dict[bytes, HexBytes]: