diff --git a/swh/loader/cvs/loader.py b/swh/loader/cvs/loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/cvs/loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/cvs/loader.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
     RcsKeywords,
     file_path,
 )
-from swh.loader.cvs.cvsclient import CVSClient, decode_path
+from swh.loader.cvs.cvsclient import CVSClient, CVSProtocolError, decode_path
 import swh.loader.cvs.rcsparse as rcsparse
 from swh.loader.cvs.rlog import RlogConv
 from swh.loader.exception import NotFound
@@ -497,8 +497,16 @@
                 cvsroot_path,
                 self.cvs_module_name,
             )
+            try:
+                main_rlog_file = self.cvsclient.fetch_rlog()
+            except CVSProtocolError as cvs_err:
+                if "cannot find module" in str(cvs_err):
+                    raise NotFound(
+                        f"CVS module named {self.cvs_module_name} cannot be found"
+                    )
+                else:
+                    raise
             self.rlog = RlogConv(cvsroot_path, CHANGESET_FUZZ_SEC)
-            main_rlog_file = self.cvsclient.fetch_rlog()
             self.rlog.parse_rlog(main_rlog_file)
             # Find file deletion events only visible in Attic directories.
             main_changesets = self.rlog.changesets
diff --git a/swh/loader/cvs/tests/test_loader.py b/swh/loader/cvs/tests/test_loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/cvs/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/cvs/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -48,6 +48,34 @@
     )
 
 
+def test_loader_cvs_ssh_module_not_found(swh_storage, tmp_path, mocker):
+    url = "ssh://anoncvs@anoncvs.example.org/cvsroot/foo"
+
+    mocker.patch("swh.loader.cvs.cvsclient.socket")
+    mocker.patch("swh.loader.cvs.cvsclient.subprocess")
+    from swh.loader.cvs.loader import CVSClient as Client
+
+    conn_read_line = mocker.patch.object(Client, "conn_read_line")
+    conn_read_line.side_effect = [
+        # server response lines when client is initialized
+        b"Valid-requests ",
+        b"ok\n",
+        # server response line when CVS module is missing
+        "E cvs rlog: cannot find module `foo' - ignored\n".encode(),
+    ]
+
+    loader = CvsLoader(swh_storage, url, cvsroot_path=tmp_path)
+
+    assert loader.load() == {"status": "uneventful"}
+
+    assert_last_visit_matches(
+        swh_storage,
+        url,
+        status="not_found",
+        type="cvs",
+    )
+
+
 def test_loader_cvs_visit(swh_storage, datadir, tmp_path):
     """Eventful visit should yield 1 snapshot"""
     archive_name = "runbaby"