diff --git a/swh/loader/svn/tasks.py b/swh/loader/svn/tasks.py
--- a/swh/loader/svn/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/loader/svn/tasks.py
@@ -6,33 +6,41 @@
 
 from celery import shared_task
 
+from swh.loader.core.utils import parse_visit_date
+
 from .loader import SvnLoader, SvnLoaderFromDumpArchive, SvnLoaderFromRemoteDump
 
 
+def _process_kwargs(kwargs):
+    if "visit_date" in kwargs:
+        kwargs["visit_date"] = parse_visit_date(kwargs["visit_date"])
+    return kwargs
+
+
 @shared_task(name=__name__ + ".LoadSvnRepository")
-def load_svn(*args, **kwargs):
+def load_svn(**kwargs):
     """Import a svn repository"""
-    loader = SvnLoader.from_configfile(*args, **kwargs)
+    loader = SvnLoader.from_configfile(**_process_kwargs(kwargs))
     return loader.load()
 
 
 @shared_task(name=__name__ + ".MountAndLoadSvnRepository")
-def load_svn_from_archive(*args, **kwargs):
+def load_svn_from_archive(**kwargs):
     """
     1. Mount an svn dump from archive as a local svn repository
     2. Load it through the svn loader
     3. Clean up mounted svn repository archive
     """
-    loader = SvnLoaderFromDumpArchive.from_configfile(*args, **kwargs)
+    loader = SvnLoaderFromDumpArchive.from_configfile(**_process_kwargs(kwargs))
     return loader.load()
 
 
 @shared_task(name=__name__ + ".DumpMountAndLoadSvnRepository")
-def load_svn_from_remote_dump(*args, **kwargs):
+def load_svn_from_remote_dump(**kwargs):
     """
     1. Mount a remote svn dump as a local svn repository.
     2. Load it through the svn loader.
     3. Clean up mounted svn repository archive.
     """
-    loader = SvnLoaderFromRemoteDump.from_configfile(*args, **kwargs)
+    loader = SvnLoaderFromRemoteDump.from_configfile(**_process_kwargs(kwargs))
     return loader.load()
diff --git a/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_task.py b/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_task.py
--- a/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_task.py
+++ b/swh/loader/svn/tests/test_task.py
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@
 
     res = swh_scheduler_celery_app.send_task(
         "swh.loader.svn.tasks.LoadSvnRepository",
-        kwargs=dict(url="some-technical-url", origin_url="origin-url"),
+        kwargs=dict(
+            url="some-technical-url", origin_url="origin-url", visit_date="now"
+        ),
     )
     assert res
     res.wait()
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@
 
     res = swh_scheduler_celery_app.send_task(
         "swh.loader.svn.tasks.MountAndLoadSvnRepository",
-        kwargs=dict(url="some-url", archive_path="some-path"),
+        kwargs=dict(url="some-url", archive_path="some-path", visit_date="now"),
     )
     assert res
     res.wait()
@@ -123,7 +125,9 @@
 
     res = swh_scheduler_celery_app.send_task(
         "swh.loader.svn.tasks.DumpMountAndLoadSvnRepository",
-        kwargs=dict(url="some-remote-dump-url", origin_url="origin-url"),
+        kwargs=dict(
+            url="some-remote-dump-url", origin_url="origin-url", visit_date="now"
+        ),
     )
     assert res
     res.wait()