diff --git a/resources/test/loader-tar.ini b/resources/test/loader-tar.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d307ef3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/test/loader-tar.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+[main]
+
+tar_path = /home/tony/work/inria/repo/linux.tgz
+dir_path = /tmp/linux/
+
+# synthetic origin
+origin_url = file:///dev/null
+branch = master
+authority_id = 1
+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 77b5601..8364134 100644
--- a/swh/loader/dir/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/loader/dir/tasks.py
@@ -1,28 +1,68 @@
 # 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
+
 from swh.core.scheduling import Task
+from swh.core import config
+
+from swh.loader.dir.loader import DirLoader
 
-from .loader import DirLoader
 
 
 class LoadDirRepository(Task):
     """Import a directory to Software Heritage"""
 
     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],
         )
+        self.loader = DirLoader(self.config)
+        self.loader.log = self.log
 
-    def run(self, repo_path, origin_url, authority_id, validity):
+    def run(self, dir_path):
         """Import a directory"""
-        loader = DirLoader(self.config)
-        loader.log = self.log
+        self.loader.process(dir_path)
+
+
+class LoadTarRepository(Task):
+    """Import a tarball to Software Heritage"""
+
+    CONFIG_BASE_FILENAME = 'loader-tar.ini'
+    ADDITIONAL_CONFIG = {
+        'dir_path': ('str', '/tmp/swh.loader.tar/'),
+        'tar_path': ('str', '/some/path/to/tarball.tar')
+
+    }
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.config = DirLoader.parse_config_file(
+            base_filename=self.CONFIG_BASE_FILENAME,
+            additional_configs=[self.ADDITIONAL_CONFIG],
+        )
+        config.prepare_folders(self.config, 'dir_path')
+        self.loader = DirLoader(self.config)
+        self.loader.log = self.log
+
+    def untar(self, tar_path, dir_path):
+        """Decompress an archive tar_path to dir_path.
+
+        """
+        subprocess.check_output(['tar', 'xvf', tar_path,
+                                 '--preserve-permissions',
+                                 '-C', dir_path],
+                                universal_newlines=True)
+
+    def run(self, dir_path):
+        """Import a tarball.
 
-        loader.process(repo_path)
+        """
+        tar_path = self.config['tar_path']
+        self.untar(tar_path, dir_path)
+        self.loader.process(dir_path)