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
@@ -136,9 +136,13 @@
     svn_special_path_non_link_data: Optional[bytes] = None
     """keep track of non link file content with svn:special property set"""
 
+    # default value: 0, 1: set the flag, 2: remove the exec flag
     executable: int = DEFAULT_FLAG
     """keep track if file is executable when setting svn:executable property"""
 
+    link: bool = False
+    """keep track if file is a svn link when setting svn:special property"""
+
 
 class FileEditor:
     """File Editor in charge of updating file on disk and memory objects.
@@ -157,8 +161,6 @@
     def __init__(self, directory, rootpath, path, state: FileState):
         self.directory = directory
         self.path = path
-        # default value: 0, 1: set the flag, 2: remove the exec flag
-        self.link = None
         self.fullpath = os.path.join(rootpath, path)
         self.state = state
 
@@ -171,7 +173,7 @@
         elif key == properties.PROP_SPECIAL:
             # Possibly a symbolic link. We cannot check further at
             # that moment though, patch(s) not being applied yet
-            self.link = value is not None
+            self.state.link = value is not None
         elif key == SVN_PROPERTY_EOL:
             # backup end of line style for file
             self.state.eol_style = value
@@ -217,7 +219,7 @@
                 # real svn symlink for potential patching in later
                 # commits
                 sbuf = self.__make_svnlink()
-                self.link = True
+                self.state.link = True
             else:
                 with open(self.fullpath, "rb") as f:
                     sbuf = f.read()
@@ -238,16 +240,14 @@
           computation purposes)
 
         """
-        is_link = None
 
-        if self.link:
+        if self.state.link:
             # can only check now that the link is a real one
             # since patch has been applied
             is_link, src = is_file_an_svnlink_p(self.fullpath)
             if is_link:
                 self.__make_symlink(src)
             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
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@
                 f.write(self.state.svn_special_path_non_link_data)
                 self.state.svn_special_path_non_link_data = None
 
+        is_link = os.path.islink(self.fullpath)
         if not is_link:  # if a link, do nothing regarding flag
             if self.state.executable == EXEC_FLAG:
                 os.chmod(self.fullpath, 0o755)
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
@@ -1678,3 +1678,53 @@
     assert_last_visit_matches(
         loader.storage, repo_url, status="full", type="svn",
     )
+
+
+def test_loader_svn_add_property_on_link(swh_storage, tmp_path):
+    # create a repository
+    repo_path = os.path.join(tmp_path, "tmprepo")
+    repos.create(repo_path)
+    repo_url = f"file://{repo_path}"
+
+    # first commit
+    add_commit(
+        repo_url,
+        "Add an executable file and a svn link to it.",
+        [
+            CommitChange(
+                change_type=CommitChangeType.AddOrUpdate,
+                path="hello-world",
+                properties={"svn:executable": "*"},
+                data=b"#!/bin/bash\necho Hello World !",
+            ),
+            CommitChange(
+                change_type=CommitChangeType.AddOrUpdate,
+                path="hello",
+                properties={"svn:special": "*"},
+                data=b"link hello-world",
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+
+    # second commit
+    add_commit(
+        repo_url,
+        "Set svn:eol-style property on link",
+        [
+            CommitChange(
+                change_type=CommitChangeType.AddOrUpdate,
+                path="hello",
+                properties={"svn:eol-style": "native"},
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+
+    # 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, temp_directory=tmp_path, check_revision=1)
+
+    assert loader.load() == {"status": "eventful"}
+    assert_last_visit_matches(
+        loader.storage, repo_url, status="full", type="svn",
+    )