diff --git a/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py b/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/bitbucket/tasks.py
@@ -50,3 +50,8 @@
     self.log.debug('%s OK (spawned %s subtasks)' % (self.name, len(ranges)))
 
 
+@app.task(name='swh.lister.bitbucket.tasks.ping',
+          base=SWHTask, bind=True)
+def ping(self):
+    self.log.debug(self.name)
+    return 'OK'
diff --git a/swh/lister/debian/tasks.py b/swh/lister/debian/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/debian/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/debian/tasks.py
@@ -15,3 +15,10 @@
         self.name, lister_args))
     DebianLister(**lister_args).run(distribution)
     self.log.debug('%s OK' % (self.name))
+
+
+@app.task(name='swh.lister.debian.tasks.ping',
+          base=SWHTask, bind=True)
+def ping(self):
+    self.log.debug(self.name)
+    return 'OK'
diff --git a/swh/lister/github/tasks.py b/swh/lister/github/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/github/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/github/tasks.py
@@ -51,3 +51,8 @@
     self.log.debug('%s OK (spawned %s subtasks)' % (self.name, len(ranges)))
 
 
+@app.task(name='swh.lister.github.tasks.ping',
+          base=SWHTask, bind=True)
+def ping(self):
+    self.log.debug(self.name)
+    return 'OK'
diff --git a/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py b/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/gitlab/tasks.py
@@ -57,3 +57,10 @@
     group(range_gitlab_lister.s(minv, maxv, **lister_args)
           for minv, maxv in ranges)()
     self.log.debug('%s OK (spawned %s subtasks)' % (self.name, len(ranges)))
+
+
+@app.task(name='swh.lister.gitlab.tasks.ping',
+          base=SWHTask, bind=True)
+def ping(self):
+    self.log.debug(self.name)
+    return 'OK'
diff --git a/swh/lister/npm/tasks.py b/swh/lister/npm/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/npm/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/npm/tasks.py
@@ -62,3 +62,10 @@
     with save_registry_state(lister):
         lister.run(min_bound=update_seq_start)
     self.log.debug('%s OK' % (self.name))
+
+
+@app.task(name='swh.lister.npm.tasks.ping',
+          base=SWHTask, bind=True)
+def ping(self):
+    self.log.debug(self.name)
+    return 'OK'
diff --git a/swh/lister/pypi/tasks.py b/swh/lister/pypi/tasks.py
--- a/swh/lister/pypi/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/lister/pypi/tasks.py
@@ -17,3 +17,8 @@
     self.log.debug('%s OK' % (self.name))
 
 
+@app.task(name='swh.lister.pypi.tasks.ping',
+          base=SWHTask, bind=True)
+def ping(self):
+    self.log.debug(self.name)
+    return 'OK'