diff --git a/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py b/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/package/debian/loader.py
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@
     # md5sum is not always available, make it optional
     md5sum = attr.ib(type=str, default="")
 
+    # sha1 is not always available, make it optional
+    sha1 = attr.ib(type=str, default="")
+
     # Some of the DSC files imported in swh apparently had a Checksums-SHA512
     # field which got recorded in the archive. Current versions of dpkg-source
     # don't seem to generate them, but keep the field available for
@@ -126,7 +129,6 @@
         self,
         storage: StorageInterface,
         url: str,
-        date: str,
         packages: Mapping[str, Any],
         max_content_size: Optional[int] = None,
     ):
diff --git a/swh/loader/package/debian/tasks.py b/swh/loader/package/debian/tasks.py
--- a/swh/loader/package/debian/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/loader/package/debian/tasks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2019  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2019-2021  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 
 @shared_task(name=__name__ + ".LoadDebian")
-def load_deb_package(*, url, date, packages):
+def load_deb(*, url, packages):
     """Load Debian package"""
-    loader = DebianLoader.from_configfile(url=url, date=date, packages=packages)
+    loader = DebianLoader.from_configfile(url=url, packages=packages)
     return loader.load()
diff --git a/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py b/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py
--- a/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py
+++ b/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_debian.py
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 from copy import deepcopy
+import hashlib
 import logging
 from os import path
 
 import pytest
+import requests
 
 from swh.loader.package.debian.loader import (
     DebianLoader,
@@ -111,12 +113,7 @@
     """With no prior visit, load a gnu project ends up with 1 snapshot
 
     """
-    loader = DebianLoader(
-        swh_storage,
-        URL,
-        date="2019-10-12T05:58:09.165557+00:00",
-        packages=PACKAGE_PER_VERSION,
-    )
+    loader = DebianLoader(swh_storage, URL, packages=PACKAGE_PER_VERSION,)
 
     actual_load_status = loader.load()
     expected_snapshot_id = "ad1367b5470a03857be7c7325a5a8bde698e1800"
@@ -182,12 +179,7 @@
     """With no prior visit, load a debian project ends up with 1 snapshot
 
     """
-    loader = DebianLoader(
-        swh_storage,
-        URL,
-        date="2019-10-12T05:58:09.165557+00:00",
-        packages=PACKAGE_PER_VERSION,
-    )
+    loader = DebianLoader(swh_storage, URL, packages=PACKAGE_PER_VERSION,)
 
     actual_load_status = loader.load()
 
@@ -363,6 +355,19 @@
         assert not debian_file_metadata.md5sum
 
 
+def test_debian_dsc_information_extra_sha1(requests_mock_datadir):
+    package_files = deepcopy(PACKAGE_FILES)
+
+    for package_metadata in package_files["files"].values():
+        file_bytes = requests.get(package_metadata["uri"]).content
+        package_metadata["sha1"] = hashlib.sha1(file_bytes).hexdigest()
+
+    p_info = DebianPackageInfo.from_metadata(package_files, url=URL, version="0.7.2-3")
+
+    for debian_file_metadata in p_info.files.values():
+        assert debian_file_metadata.sha1
+
+
 def test_debian_dsc_information_too_many_dsc_entries():
     # craft an extra dsc file
     fname = "cicero_0.7.2-3.dsc"
@@ -439,12 +444,7 @@
 
 
 def test_debian_multiple_packages(swh_storage, requests_mock_datadir):
-    loader = DebianLoader(
-        swh_storage,
-        URL,
-        date="2019-10-12T05:58:09.165557+00:00",
-        packages=PACKAGES_PER_VERSION,
-    )
+    loader = DebianLoader(swh_storage, URL, packages=PACKAGES_PER_VERSION,)
 
     actual_load_status = loader.load()
     expected_snapshot_id = "a83fa5c089b048161f0677b9614a4aae96a6ca18"
diff --git a/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_tasks.py b/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_tasks.py
--- a/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ b/swh/loader/package/debian/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
     res = swh_scheduler_celery_app.send_task(
         "swh.loader.package.debian.tasks.LoadDebian",
-        kwargs=dict(url="some-url", date="some-date", packages={}),
+        kwargs=dict(url="some-url", packages={}),
     )
     assert res
     res.wait()