diff --git a/docker/tests/test_vault.py b/docker/tests/test_vault.py
index 0602656..cfa9398 100644
--- a/docker/tests/test_vault.py
+++ b/docker/tests/test_vault.py
@@ -1,62 +1,68 @@
 # 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
 
 import hashlib
 import io
 from os.path import join
 import tarfile
 from urllib.parse import quote_plus
 
 from .conftest import apiget, getdirectory, pollapi
 
 
 def test_vault_directory(scheduler_host, git_origin):
     # retrieve the root directory of the master branch of the ingested git
     # repository (by the git_origin fixture)
     visit = apiget(f"origin/{quote_plus(git_origin)}/visit/latest")
     snapshot = apiget(f'snapshot/{visit["snapshot"]}')
     rev_id = snapshot["branches"]["refs/heads/master"]["target"]
     revision = apiget(f"revision/{rev_id}")
     dir_id = revision["directory"]
 
     # now cook it
     cook = apiget(f"vault/directory/{dir_id}/", "POST")
     assert cook["obj_type"] == "directory"
     assert cook["obj_id"] == dir_id
     assert cook["fetch_url"].endswith(f"vault/directory/{dir_id}/raw/")
 
     # while it's cooking, get the directory tree from the archive
     directory = getdirectory(dir_id)
 
     # retrieve the cooked tar file
     resp = pollapi(f"vault/directory/{dir_id}/raw")
     tarf = tarfile.open(fileobj=io.BytesIO(resp.content))
 
     # and check the tarfile seems ok wrt. 'directory'
     assert tarf.getnames()[0] == dir_id
     tarfiles = {t.name: t for t in tarf.getmembers()}
 
     for fname, fdesc in directory:
         tfinfo = tarfiles.get(join(dir_id, fname))
         assert tfinfo, f"Missing path {fname} in retrieved tarfile"
         if fdesc["type"] == "file":
-            assert fdesc["length"] == tfinfo.size, f"File {fname}: length mismatch"
-            fdata = tarf.extractfile(tfinfo).read()
+            if tfinfo.issym():
+                # checksum was computed from targeted path for symlink
+                fdata = tfinfo.linkname.encode()
+            else:
+                # symlink has no size in tar archive so this test fails
+                assert fdesc["length"] == tfinfo.size, f"File {fname}: length mismatch"
+                fdata = tarf.extractfile(tfinfo).read()
+
             for algo in fdesc["checksums"]:
                 if algo not in hashlib.algorithms_available:
                     continue
                 hash = hashlib.new(algo, fdata).hexdigest()
                 assert (
                     hash == fdesc["checksums"][algo]
                 ), f"File {fname}: {algo} mismatch"
         # XXX what to check for dir? symlink? (other?)
 
     # check that if we ask a second time this directory, it returns the same
     # and does not cook it again
     recook = apiget(f"vault/directory/{dir_id}/", "POST")
     assert recook["obj_type"] == "directory"
     assert recook["obj_id"] == dir_id
     assert recook["id"] == cook["id"]
     assert recook["status"] == "done"  # no need to wait for this to be true