diff --git a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_utils.py b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_utils.py
index 192be61..2e34570 100644
--- a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -1,56 +1,79 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2017-2018  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 unittest
 from datetime import timezone
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from swh.scheduler import utils
 
 
 class UtilsTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @patch('swh.scheduler.utils.datetime')
     def test_create_oneshot_task_dict_simple(self, mock_datetime):
         mock_datetime.now.return_value = 'some-date'
 
         actual_task = utils.create_oneshot_task_dict('some-task-type')
 
         expected_task = {
             'policy': 'oneshot',
             'type': 'some-task-type',
             'next_run': 'some-date',
             'arguments': {
                 'args': [],
                 'kwargs': {},
             },
-            'priority': None,
         }
 
         self.assertEqual(actual_task, expected_task)
         mock_datetime.now.assert_called_once_with(tz=timezone.utc)
 
     @patch('swh.scheduler.utils.datetime')
     def test_create_oneshot_task_dict_other_call(self, mock_datetime):
         mock_datetime.now.return_value = 'some-other-date'
 
         actual_task = utils.create_oneshot_task_dict(
             'some-task-type', 'arg0', 'arg1',
             priority='high', other_stuff='normal'
         )
 
         expected_task = {
             'policy': 'oneshot',
             'type': 'some-task-type',
             'next_run': 'some-other-date',
             'arguments': {
                 'args': ('arg0', 'arg1'),
                 'kwargs': {'other_stuff': 'normal'},
             },
             'priority': 'high',
         }
 
         self.assertEqual(actual_task, expected_task)
         mock_datetime.now.assert_called_once_with(tz=timezone.utc)
+
+    @patch('swh.scheduler.utils.datetime')
+    def test_create_task_dict(self, mock_datetime):
+        mock_datetime.now.return_value = 'date'
+
+        actual_task = utils.create_task_dict(
+            'task-type', 'recurring', 'arg0', 'arg1',
+            priority='low', other_stuff='normal', retries_left=3
+        )
+
+        expected_task = {
+            'policy': 'recurring',
+            'type': 'task-type',
+            'next_run': 'date',
+            'arguments': {
+                'args': ('arg0', 'arg1'),
+                'kwargs': {'other_stuff': 'normal'},
+            },
+            'priority': 'low',
+            'retries_left': 3,
+        }
+
+        self.assertEqual(actual_task, expected_task)
+        mock_datetime.now.assert_called_once_with(tz=timezone.utc)
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/utils.py b/swh/scheduler/utils.py
index bf848c2..cf9c502 100644
--- a/swh/scheduler/utils.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/utils.py
@@ -1,71 +1,74 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2017-2018  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
 
 
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 
 def get_task(task_name):
     """Retrieve task object in our application instance by its fully
     qualified python name.
 
     Args:
         task_name (str): task's name (e.g
                          swh.loader.git.tasks.LoadDiskGitRepository)
 
     Returns:
         Instance of task
 
     """
     from swh.scheduler.celery_backend.config import app
     for module in app.conf.CELERY_IMPORTS:
         __import__(module)
     return app.tasks[task_name]
 
 
 def create_task_dict(type, policy, *args, **kwargs):
     """Create a task with type and policy, scheduled for as soon as
        possible.
 
     Args:
         type (str): Type of oneshot task as per swh-scheduler's db
                     table task_type's column (Ex: origin-update-git,
                     swh-deposit-archive-checks)
         policy (str): oneshot or recurring policy
 
     Returns:
         Expected dictionary for the one-shot task scheduling api
         (swh.scheduler.backend.create_tasks)
 
     """
-    priority = None
-    if 'priority' in kwargs:
-        priority = kwargs.pop('priority')
-    return {
+    task = {
         'policy': policy,
         'type': type,
         'next_run': datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc),
         'arguments': {
             'args': args if args else [],
             'kwargs': kwargs if kwargs else {},
         },
-        'priority': priority,
     }
 
+    for extra_key in ['priority', 'retries_left']:
+        if extra_key in kwargs:
+            extra_val = kwargs.pop(extra_key)
+            task[extra_key] = extra_val
+
+    return task
+
 
 def create_oneshot_task_dict(type, *args, **kwargs):
     """Create a oneshot task scheduled for as soon as possible.
 
     Args:
         type (str): Type of oneshot task as per swh-scheduler's db
                     table task_type's column (Ex: origin-update-git,
                     swh-deposit-archive-checks)
 
     Returns:
         Expected dictionary for the one-shot task scheduling api
         (swh.scheduler.backend.create_tasks)
 
     """
     return create_task_dict(type, 'oneshot', *args, **kwargs)