diff --git a/swh/loader/debian.py b/swh/loader/debian.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02752e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/loader/debian.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2015  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 logging
+import os
+import subprocess
+
+from swh.core.hashutil import hashfile
+
+
+def extract_src_pkg(dsc_path, destdir):
+    """extract a Debian source package to a given directory
+
+    Note that after extraction the target directory will be the root of the
+    extract package, rather than containing it.
+
+    Args:
+        dsc_path: path to .dsc file
+        destdir: directory where to extract the package
+
+    Returns:
+        None
+
+    """
+    logging.debug('extract Debian source package %s' % dsc_path)
+
+    destdir_tmp = destdir + '.tmp'
+    logfile = destdir + '.log'
+
+    cmd = ['dpkg-source', '--no-copy', '--no-check', '-x',
+           dsc_path, destdir_tmp]
+    with open(logfile, 'w') as log:
+        subprocess.check_call(cmd, stdout=log, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+
+    os.rename(destdir_tmp, destdir)
+
+
+def load_content_from_dir(storage, srcpkg_dir):
+    hashes = {}
+    for root, _dirs, files in os.walk(srcpkg_dir):
+        for name in files:
+            path = os.path.join(root, name)
+            hashes[path] = hashfile(path)
+            hashes[path]['length'] = os.path.getsize(path)
+
+    storage.load_content(hashes)