diff --git a/resources/loader/tar.ini b/resources/loader/tar.ini
index 6a2d9bf..c0aaf45 100644
--- a/resources/loader/tar.ini
+++ b/resources/loader/tar.ini
@@ -1,38 +1,39 @@
 [main]
 
 # NOT FOR PRODUCTION
 tar_path = /home/tony/work/inria/repo/linux.tgz
 dir_path = /tmp/linux/
 
 # synthetic origin
 origin_url = file:///dev/null
+origin_type = tar
 
 # occurrence
 occurrence_branch = master2
 occurrence_authority = 1
 occurrence_validity = 2015-01-01 00:00:00+00
 
 # occurrence 2
 occurrence2_branch = dev
 occurrence2_authority = 2
 occurrence2_validity = 2015-01-01 00:00:00+00
 
 # synthetic revision
 revision_author_name = swh author
 revision_author_email = swh@inria.fr
 revision_author_date = 1444054085
 revision_author_offset = +0200
 revision_committer_name = swh committer
 revision_committer_email = swh@inria.fr
 revision_committer_date = 1444054085
 revision_committer_offset = +0200
 revision_type = tar
 revision_message = synthetic revision message
 
 # synthetic release
 release_name = v0.0.1
 release_date = 1444054085
 release_offset = +0200
 release_author_name = swh author
 release_author_email = swh@inria.fr
 release_comment = synthetic release
diff --git a/swh/loader/dir/tasks.py b/swh/loader/dir/tasks.py
index 6ae8488..7c0e29b 100644
--- a/swh/loader/dir/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/loader/dir/tasks.py
@@ -1,93 +1,90 @@
 # 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 subprocess
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 
 from swh.core.scheduling import Task
 
 from swh.loader.dir.loader import DirLoader
 
 
 class LoadDirRepository(Task):
     """Import a directory to Software Heritage
 
     """
     task_queue = 'swh_loader_dir'
 
     CONFIG_BASE_FILENAME = 'loader/dir.ini'
     ADDITIONAL_CONFIG = {}
 
     def __init__(self):
         self.config = DirLoader.parse_config_file(
             base_filename=self.CONFIG_BASE_FILENAME,
             additional_configs=[self.ADDITIONAL_CONFIG],
         )
 
     def run(self, dir_path, origin, revision, release, occurrences):
         """Import a directory.
 
         Args:
             cf. swh.loader.dir.loader.run docstring
 
         """
         loader = DirLoader(self.config)
         loader.log = self.log
         loader.process(dir_path, origin, revision, release, occurrences)
 
 
 def untar(tar_path, dir_path):
     """Decompress an archive tar_path to dir_path.
 
     At the end of this call, dir_path contains the tarball's
     uncompressed content.
 
     Args:
         tar_path: the path to access the tarball
         dir_path: The path where to extract the tarball's content.
     """
     untar_cmd = ['tar', 'xavf', tar_path,
                  '--preserve-permissions',
                  '-C', dir_path]
     subprocess.check_call(untar_cmd, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
 
 
 class LoadTarRepository(LoadDirRepository):
     """Import a tarball to Software Heritage
 
     """
     task_queue = 'swh_loader_tar'
 
     CONFIG_BASE_FILENAME = 'loader/tar.ini'
     ADDITIONAL_CONFIG = {
         'extraction_dir': ('str', '/tmp/swh.loader.tar/'),
     }
 
-    def run(self, tar_path, origin_url, revision, release, occurrences):
+    def run(self, tar_path, origin, revision, release, occurrences):
         """Import a tarball tar_path.
 
         Args:
             - tar_path: path access to the tarball
-            - origin_url: url where we fetched the tarball
-            - revision, release, occurrences: see LoadDirRepository.run
+            - origin, revision, release, occurrences: see LoadDirRepository.run
 
         """
         extraction_dir = self.config['extraction_dir']
         dir_path = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='swh.loader.tar',
                                     dir=extraction_dir)
 
         # unarchive in dir_path
         untar(tar_path, dir_path)
 
-        origin = {
-            'url': origin_url,
-            'type': 'tar'
-        }
+        if 'type' not in origin:  # let the type flow if present
+            origin['type'] = 'tar'
 
         try:
             super().run(dir_path, origin, revision, release, occurrences)
         finally:  # always clean up
             shutil.rmtree(dir_path)