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
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@
 
     """
     split_byte = b" "
-    filetype, *src = data.split(split_byte)
+    first_line = data.split(b"\n")[0]
+    filetype, *src = first_line.split(split_byte)
     src = split_byte.join(src)
     return filetype, src
 
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
@@ -1728,3 +1728,53 @@
     assert_last_visit_matches(
         loader.storage, repo_url, status="full", type="svn",
     )
+
+
+def test_loader_svn_link_parsing(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,
+        "Update svn link content",
+        [
+            CommitChange(
+                change_type=CommitChangeType.AddOrUpdate,
+                path="hello",
+                data=b"link hello-world\r\n",
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+
+    # 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",
+    )