diff --git a/swh/loader/svn/ra.py b/swh/loader/svn/ra.py
--- a/swh/loader/svn/ra.py
+++ b/swh/loader/svn/ra.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import os
 import shutil
 import tempfile
-from typing import List, Tuple
+from typing import Dict, List, Tuple
 
 import click
 from subvertpy import delta, properties
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@
 
     __slots__ = ["directory", "path", "fullpath", "executable", "link"]
 
+    # keep track of non link file content with svn:special property set
+    svn_special_path_non_link_data: Dict[str, bytes] = {}
+
     def __init__(self, directory, rootpath, path):
         self.directory = directory
         self.path = path
@@ -226,12 +229,32 @@
             is_link, src = is_file_an_svnlink_p(self.fullpath)
             if is_link:
                 self.__make_symlink(src)
-            else:  # not a real link...
+            else:  # not a real link ...
                 self.link = False
+                # when a file with the svn:special property set is not a svn link,
+                # the svn export operation will extract a truncated version of that file
+                # if it contains a null byte (see create_special_file_from_stream
+                # implementation in libsvn_subr/subst.c), so ensure to produce the
+                # same file as the export operation.
+                with open(self.fullpath, "rb") as f:
+                    content = f.read()
+                with open(self.fullpath, "wb") as f:
+                    exported_data = content.split(b"\x00")[0]
+                    if exported_data != content:
+                        # keep track of original file content in order to restore
+                        # it if the svn:special property gets unset in another revision
+                        self.svn_special_path_non_link_data[self.fullpath] = content
+                    f.write(exported_data)
         elif os.path.islink(self.fullpath):
             # path was a symbolic link in previous revision but got the property
             # svn:special unset in current one, revert its content to svn link format
             self.__make_svnlink()
+        elif self.fullpath in self.svn_special_path_non_link_data:
+            # path was a non link file with the svn:special property previously set
+            # and got truncated on export, restore its original content
+            with open(self.fullpath, "wb") as f:
+                f.write(self.svn_special_path_non_link_data[self.fullpath])
+                del self.svn_special_path_non_link_data[self.fullpath]
 
         if not is_link:  # if a link, do nothing regarding flag
             if self.executable == EXEC_FLAG:
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
@@ -1179,3 +1179,58 @@
         "skipped_content": 0,
         "snapshot": 1,
     }
+
+
+def test_loader_svn_special_property_on_binary_file_with_null_byte(
+    swh_storage, tmp_path
+):
+    """When a file has the svn:special property set but is not a svn link,
+    it will be truncated when performing an export operation if it contains
+    a null byte. Indeed, subversion will treat the file content as text but
+    it might be a binary file containing null bytes."""
+
+    # create a repository
+    repo_path = os.path.join(tmp_path, "tmprepo")
+    repos.create(repo_path)
+    repo_url = f"file://{repo_path}"
+
+    data = (
+        b"!<symlink>\xff\xfea\x00p\x00t\x00-\x00c\x00y\x00g\x00.\x00s\x00h\x00\x00\x00"
+    )
+
+    # first commit
+    add_commit(
+        repo_url,
+        "Add a non svn link binary file and set the svn:special property on it",
+        [
+            CommitChange(
+                change_type=CommitChangeType.AddOrUpdate,
+                path="binary_file",
+                properties={"svn:special": "*"},
+                data=data,
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+
+    # second commit
+    add_commit(
+        repo_url,
+        "Remove the svn:special property on the previously added file",
+        [
+            CommitChange(
+                change_type=CommitChangeType.AddOrUpdate,
+                path="binary_file",
+                properties={"svn:special": None},
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+
+    # instantiate a svn loader checking after each processed revision that
+    # the repository filesystem it reconstructed does not differ from a subversion
+    # export of that revision
+    loader = SvnLoader(
+        swh_storage, repo_url, destination_path=tmp_path, check_revision=1
+    )
+
+    assert loader.load() == {"status": "eventful"}
+    assert loader.visit_status() == "full"