1 files changed, 5 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index 109e05b013..92452eb5ef 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -727,8 +727,12 @@ static void free_simplify(struct path_simplify *simplify)
 
 int read_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *path, const char *base, int baselen, const char **pathspec)
 {
-	struct path_simplify *simplify = create_simplify(pathspec);
+	struct path_simplify *simplify;
 
+	if (has_symlink_leading_path(strlen(path), path))
+		return dir->nr;
+
+	simplify = create_simplify(pathspec);
 	read_directory_recursive(dir, path, base, baselen, 0, simplify);
 	free_simplify(simplify);
 	qsort(dir->entries, dir->nr, sizeof(struct dir_entry *), cmp_name);