diff --git a/swh/storage/postgresql/converters.py b/swh/storage/postgresql/converters.py
--- a/swh/storage/postgresql/converters.py
+++ b/swh/storage/postgresql/converters.py
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@
     """
     if fullname is None:
         return None
+
+    if name is None and email is None:
+        # The fullname hasn't been parsed, try that again
+        return Person.from_fullname(fullname)
+
     return Person(fullname=fullname, name=name, email=email,)
 
 
diff --git a/swh/storage/tests/test_postgresql_converters.py b/swh/storage/tests/test_postgresql_converters.py
--- a/swh/storage/tests/test_postgresql_converters.py
+++ b/swh/storage/tests/test_postgresql_converters.py
@@ -191,6 +191,11 @@
     assert actual_author is None
 
 
+def test_db_to_author_unparsed():
+    author = converters.db_to_author(b"Fullname <email@example.com>", None, None)
+    assert author == Person.from_fullname(b"Fullname <email@example.com>")
+
+
 def test_db_to_revision():
     # when
     actual_revision = converters.db_to_revision(