diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/issue-4817 b/changelog/unreleased/issue-4817
index ddbd5672b..e9c2d01a5 100644
--- a/changelog/unreleased/issue-4817
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/issue-4817
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ https://github.com/restic/restic/issues/407
 https://github.com/restic/restic/issues/2662
 https://github.com/restic/restic/pull/4837
 https://github.com/restic/restic/pull/4838
+https://github.com/restic/restic/pull/4864
diff --git a/internal/restic/node.go b/internal/restic/node.go
index 5bdc5ba27..51c6071b7 100644
--- a/internal/restic/node.go
+++ b/internal/restic/node.go
@@ -348,11 +348,6 @@ func (node Node) writeNodeContent(ctx context.Context, repo BlobLoader, f *os.Fi
 }
 
 func (node Node) createSymlinkAt(path string) error {
-
-	if err := os.Remove(path); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "Symlink")
-	}
-
 	if err := fs.Symlink(node.LinkTarget, path); err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/restic/node_windows.go b/internal/restic/node_windows.go
index 8942db901..05dca7cd9 100644
--- a/internal/restic/node_windows.go
+++ b/internal/restic/node_windows.go
@@ -138,6 +138,26 @@ func restoreExtendedAttributes(nodeType, path string, eas []fs.ExtendedAttribute
 	}
 	defer closeFileHandle(fileHandle, path) // Replaced inline defer with named function call
 
+	// clear old unexpected xattrs by setting them to an empty value
+	oldEAs, err := fs.GetFileEA(fileHandle)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for _, oldEA := range oldEAs {
+		found := false
+		for _, ea := range eas {
+			if strings.EqualFold(ea.Name, oldEA.Name) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		if !found {
+			eas = append(eas, fs.ExtendedAttribute{Name: oldEA.Name, Value: nil})
+		}
+	}
+
 	if err = fs.SetFileEA(fileHandle, eas); err != nil {
 		return errors.Errorf("set EA failed for path %v, with: %v", path, err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/restic/node_xattr.go b/internal/restic/node_xattr.go
index a55fcb2db..5a5a253d9 100644
--- a/internal/restic/node_xattr.go
+++ b/internal/restic/node_xattr.go
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ func setxattr(path, name string, data []byte) error {
 	return handleXattrErr(xattr.LSet(path, name, data))
 }
 
+// removexattr removes the attribute name from path.
+func removexattr(path, name string) error {
+	return handleXattrErr(xattr.LRemove(path, name))
+}
+
 func handleXattrErr(err error) error {
 	switch e := err.(type) {
 	case nil:
@@ -70,12 +75,29 @@ func (node *Node) fillGenericAttributes(_ string, _ os.FileInfo, _ *statT) (allo
 }
 
 func (node Node) restoreExtendedAttributes(path string) error {
+	expectedAttrs := map[string]struct{}{}
 	for _, attr := range node.ExtendedAttributes {
 		err := setxattr(path, attr.Name, attr.Value)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		expectedAttrs[attr.Name] = struct{}{}
 	}
+
+	// remove unexpected xattrs
+	xattrs, err := listxattr(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	for _, name := range xattrs {
+		if _, ok := expectedAttrs[name]; ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		if err := removexattr(path, name); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/restic/node_xattr_all_test.go b/internal/restic/node_xattr_all_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..56ce5e286
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/restic/node_xattr_all_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+//go:build darwin || freebsd || linux || solaris || windows
+// +build darwin freebsd linux solaris windows
+
+package restic
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	rtest "github.com/restic/restic/internal/test"
+)
+
+func setAndVerifyXattr(t *testing.T, file string, attrs []ExtendedAttribute) {
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		// windows seems to convert the xattr name to upper case
+		for i := range attrs {
+			attrs[i].Name = strings.ToUpper(attrs[i].Name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	node := Node{
+		Type:               "file",
+		ExtendedAttributes: attrs,
+	}
+	rtest.OK(t, node.restoreExtendedAttributes(file))
+
+	nodeActual := Node{
+		Type: "file",
+	}
+	rtest.OK(t, nodeActual.fillExtendedAttributes(file, false))
+
+	rtest.Assert(t, nodeActual.sameExtendedAttributes(node), "xattr mismatch got %v expected %v", nodeActual.ExtendedAttributes, node.ExtendedAttributes)
+}
+
+func TestOverwriteXattr(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	file := filepath.Join(dir, "file")
+	rtest.OK(t, os.WriteFile(file, []byte("hello world"), 0o600))
+
+	setAndVerifyXattr(t, file, []ExtendedAttribute{
+		{
+			Name:  "user.foo",
+			Value: []byte("bar"),
+		},
+	})
+
+	setAndVerifyXattr(t, file, []ExtendedAttribute{
+		{
+			Name:  "user.other",
+			Value: []byte("some"),
+		},
+	})
+}
diff --git a/internal/restorer/fileswriter.go b/internal/restorer/fileswriter.go
index 50f06c83d..034ed2725 100644
--- a/internal/restorer/fileswriter.go
+++ b/internal/restorer/fileswriter.go
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 package restorer
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	stdfs "io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"sync"
+	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/fs"
 )
 
@@ -39,13 +43,26 @@ func newFilesWriter(count int) *filesWriter {
 	}
 }
 
-func createFile(path string, createSize int64, sparse bool) (*os.File, error) {
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0600)
+func openFile(path string) (*os.File, error) {
+	f, err := fs.OpenFile(path, fs.O_WRONLY|fs.O_NOFOLLOW, 0600)
 	if err != nil {
-		if !fs.IsAccessDenied(err) {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	fi, err := f.Stat()
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = f.Close()
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if !fi.Mode().IsRegular() {
+		_ = f.Close()
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected file type %v at %q", fi.Mode().Type(), path)
+	}
+	return f, nil
+}
 
+func createFile(path string, createSize int64, sparse bool) (*os.File, error) {
+	f, err := fs.OpenFile(path, fs.O_CREATE|fs.O_WRONLY|fs.O_NOFOLLOW, 0600)
+	if err != nil && fs.IsAccessDenied(err) {
 		// If file is readonly, clear the readonly flag by resetting the
 		// permissions of the file and try again
 		// as the metadata will be set again in the second pass and the
@@ -53,40 +70,86 @@ func createFile(path string, createSize int64, sparse bool) (*os.File, error) {
 		if err = fs.ResetPermissions(path); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if f, err = os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY, 0600); err != nil {
+		if f, err = fs.OpenFile(path, fs.O_WRONLY|fs.O_NOFOLLOW, 0600); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else if err != nil && (errors.Is(err, syscall.ELOOP) || errors.Is(err, syscall.EISDIR)) {
+		// symlink or directory, try to remove it later on
+		f = nil
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	var fi stdfs.FileInfo
+	if f != nil {
+		// stat to check that we've opened a regular file
+		fi, err = f.Stat()
+		if err != nil {
+			_ = f.Close()
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
 
-	if sparse {
-		err = truncateSparse(f, createSize)
-		if err != nil {
-			_ = f.Close()
-			return nil, err
+	mustReplace := f == nil || !fi.Mode().IsRegular()
+	if !mustReplace {
+		ex := fs.ExtendedStat(fi)
+		if ex.Links > 1 {
+			// there is no efficient way to find out which other files might be linked to this file
+			// thus nuke the existing file and start with a fresh one
+			mustReplace = true
 		}
-	} else {
-		info, err := f.Stat()
-		if err != nil {
-			_ = f.Close()
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		if info.Size() > createSize {
-			// file is too long must shorten it
-			err = f.Truncate(createSize)
-			if err != nil {
-				_ = f.Close()
+	}
+
+	if mustReplace {
+		// close handle if we still have it
+		if f != nil {
+			if err := f.Close(); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
-		} else if createSize > 0 {
-			err := fs.PreallocateFile(f, createSize)
-			if err != nil {
-				// Just log the preallocate error but don't let it cause the restore process to fail.
-				// Preallocate might return an error if the filesystem (implementation) does not
-				// support preallocation or our parameters combination to the preallocate call
-				// This should yield a syscall.ENOTSUP error, but some other errors might also
-				// show up.
-				debug.Log("Failed to preallocate %v with size %v: %v", path, createSize, err)
-			}
+		}
+
+		// not what we expected, try to get rid of it
+		if err := fs.Remove(path); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		// create a new file, pass O_EXCL to make sure there are no surprises
+		f, err = fs.OpenFile(path, fs.O_CREATE|fs.O_WRONLY|fs.O_EXCL|fs.O_NOFOLLOW, 0600)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		fi, err = f.Stat()
+		if err != nil {
+			_ = f.Close()
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return ensureSize(f, fi, createSize, sparse)
+}
+
+func ensureSize(f *os.File, fi stdfs.FileInfo, createSize int64, sparse bool) (*os.File, error) {
+	if sparse {
+		err := truncateSparse(f, createSize)
+		if err != nil {
+			_ = f.Close()
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else if fi.Size() > createSize {
+		// file is too long must shorten it
+		err := f.Truncate(createSize)
+		if err != nil {
+			_ = f.Close()
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else if createSize > 0 {
+		err := fs.PreallocateFile(f, createSize)
+		if err != nil {
+			// Just log the preallocate error but don't let it cause the restore process to fail.
+			// Preallocate might return an error if the filesystem (implementation) does not
+			// support preallocation or our parameters combination to the preallocate call
+			// This should yield a syscall.ENOTSUP error, but some other errors might also
+			// show up.
+			debug.Log("Failed to preallocate %v with size %v: %v", f.Name(), createSize, err)
 		}
 	}
 	return f, nil
@@ -110,7 +173,7 @@ func (w *filesWriter) writeToFile(path string, blob []byte, offset int64, create
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
-		} else if f, err = os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY, 0600); err != nil {
+		} else if f, err = openFile(path); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
diff --git a/internal/restorer/fileswriter_other_test.go b/internal/restorer/fileswriter_other_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..530a190e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/restorer/fileswriter_other_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
+package restorer
+
+import "syscall"
+
+func notEmptyDirError() error {
+	return syscall.ENOTEMPTY
+}
diff --git a/internal/restorer/fileswriter_test.go b/internal/restorer/fileswriter_test.go
index 7beb9a2dc..383a9e0d7 100644
--- a/internal/restorer/fileswriter_test.go
+++ b/internal/restorer/fileswriter_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 package restorer
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	rtest "github.com/restic/restic/internal/test"
 )
 
@@ -34,3 +38,94 @@ func TestFilesWriterBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	rtest.OK(t, err)
 	rtest.Equals(t, []byte{2, 2}, buf)
 }
+
+func TestCreateFile(t *testing.T) {
+	basepath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "test")
+
+	scenarios := []struct {
+		name   string
+		create func(t testing.TB, path string)
+		check  func(t testing.TB, path string)
+		err    error
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "file",
+			create: func(t testing.TB, path string) {
+				rtest.OK(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte("test-test-test-data"), 0o400))
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "empty dir",
+			create: func(t testing.TB, path string) {
+				rtest.OK(t, os.Mkdir(path, 0o400))
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "symlink",
+			create: func(t testing.TB, path string) {
+				rtest.OK(t, os.Symlink("./something", path))
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "filled dir",
+			create: func(t testing.TB, path string) {
+				rtest.OK(t, os.Mkdir(path, 0o700))
+				rtest.OK(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(path, "file"), []byte("data"), 0o400))
+			},
+			err: notEmptyDirError(),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "hardlinks",
+			create: func(t testing.TB, path string) {
+				rtest.OK(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte("test-test-test-data"), 0o400))
+				rtest.OK(t, os.Link(path, path+"h"))
+			},
+			check: func(t testing.TB, path string) {
+				if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+					// hardlinks are not supported on windows
+					return
+				}
+
+				data, err := os.ReadFile(path + "h")
+				rtest.OK(t, err)
+				rtest.Equals(t, "test-test-test-data", string(data), "unexpected content change")
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		size     int64
+		isSparse bool
+	}{
+		{5, false},
+		{21, false},
+		{100, false},
+		{5, true},
+		{21, true},
+		{100, true},
+	}
+
+	for i, sc := range scenarios {
+		t.Run(sc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			for j, test := range tests {
+				path := basepath + fmt.Sprintf("%v%v", i, j)
+				sc.create(t, path)
+				f, err := createFile(path, test.size, test.isSparse)
+				if sc.err == nil {
+					rtest.OK(t, err)
+					fi, err := f.Stat()
+					rtest.OK(t, err)
+					rtest.Assert(t, fi.Mode().IsRegular(), "wrong filetype %v", fi.Mode())
+					rtest.Assert(t, fi.Size() <= test.size, "unexpected file size expected %v, got %v", test.size, fi.Size())
+					rtest.OK(t, f.Close())
+					if sc.check != nil {
+						sc.check(t, path)
+					}
+				} else {
+					rtest.Assert(t, errors.Is(err, sc.err), "unexpected error got %v expected %v", err, sc.err)
+				}
+				rtest.OK(t, os.RemoveAll(path))
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/restorer/fileswriter_windows_test.go b/internal/restorer/fileswriter_windows_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec2b062f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/restorer/fileswriter_windows_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package restorer
+
+import "syscall"
+
+func notEmptyDirError() error {
+	return syscall.ERROR_DIR_NOT_EMPTY
+}
diff --git a/internal/restorer/restorer.go b/internal/restorer/restorer.go
index 6002d6f0e..85132c8b4 100644
--- a/internal/restorer/restorer.go
+++ b/internal/restorer/restorer.go
@@ -221,6 +221,9 @@ func (res *Restorer) traverseTree(ctx context.Context, target, location string,
 
 func (res *Restorer) restoreNodeTo(ctx context.Context, node *restic.Node, target, location string) error {
 	debug.Log("restoreNode %v %v %v", node.Name, target, location)
+	if err := fs.Remove(target); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "RemoveNode")
+	}
 
 	err := node.CreateAt(ctx, target, res.repo)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -242,7 +245,7 @@ func (res *Restorer) restoreNodeMetadataTo(node *restic.Node, target, location s
 }
 
 func (res *Restorer) restoreHardlinkAt(node *restic.Node, target, path, location string) error {
-	if err := fs.Remove(path); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+	if err := fs.Remove(path); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "RemoveCreateHardlink")
 	}
 	err := fs.Link(target, path)
@@ -256,6 +259,23 @@ func (res *Restorer) restoreHardlinkAt(node *restic.Node, target, path, location
 	return res.restoreNodeMetadataTo(node, path, location)
 }
 
+func (res *Restorer) ensureDir(target string) error {
+	fi, err := fs.Lstat(target)
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to check for directory: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err == nil && !fi.IsDir() {
+		// try to cleanup unexpected file
+		if err := fs.Remove(target); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to remove stale item: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// create parent dir with default permissions
+	// second pass #leaveDir restores dir metadata after visiting/restoring all children
+	return fs.MkdirAll(target, 0700)
+}
+
 // RestoreTo creates the directories and files in the snapshot below dst.
 // Before an item is created, res.Filter is called.
 func (res *Restorer) RestoreTo(ctx context.Context, dst string) error {
@@ -281,17 +301,12 @@ func (res *Restorer) RestoreTo(ctx context.Context, dst string) error {
 		enterDir: func(_ *restic.Node, target, location string) error {
 			debug.Log("first pass, enterDir: mkdir %q, leaveDir should restore metadata", location)
 			res.opts.Progress.AddFile(0)
-			// create dir with default permissions
-			// #leaveDir restores dir metadata after visiting all children
-			return fs.MkdirAll(target, 0700)
+			return res.ensureDir(target)
 		},
 
 		visitNode: func(node *restic.Node, target, location string) error {
 			debug.Log("first pass, visitNode: mkdir %q, leaveDir on second pass should restore metadata", location)
-			// create parent dir with default permissions
-			// second pass #leaveDir restores dir metadata after visiting/restoring all children
-			err := fs.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(target), 0700)
-			if err != nil {
+			if err := res.ensureDir(filepath.Dir(target)); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
@@ -526,7 +541,7 @@ func (s *fileState) HasMatchingBlob(i int) bool {
 // Reusing buffers prevents the verifier goroutines allocating all of RAM and
 // flushing the filesystem cache (at least on Linux).
 func (res *Restorer) verifyFile(target string, node *restic.Node, failFast bool, trustMtime bool, buf []byte) (*fileState, []byte, error) {
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(target, fs.O_RDONLY|fs.O_NOFOLLOW, 0)
+	f, err := fs.OpenFile(target, fs.O_RDONLY|fs.O_NOFOLLOW, 0)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, buf, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/restorer/restorer_test.go b/internal/restorer/restorer_test.go
index 25ce668db..3becf7c7a 100644
--- a/internal/restorer/restorer_test.go
+++ b/internal/restorer/restorer_test.go
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ type File struct {
 	attributes *FileAttributes
 }
 
+type Symlink struct {
+	Target  string
+	ModTime time.Time
+}
+
 type Dir struct {
 	Nodes      map[string]Node
 	Mode       os.FileMode
@@ -103,6 +108,20 @@ func saveDir(t testing.TB, repo restic.BlobSaver, nodes map[string]Node, inode u
 				GenericAttributes: getGenericAttributes(node.attributes, false),
 			})
 			rtest.OK(t, err)
+		case Symlink:
+			symlink := n.(Symlink)
+			err := tree.Insert(&restic.Node{
+				Type:       "symlink",
+				Mode:       os.ModeSymlink | 0o777,
+				ModTime:    symlink.ModTime,
+				Name:       name,
+				UID:        uint32(os.Getuid()),
+				GID:        uint32(os.Getgid()),
+				LinkTarget: symlink.Target,
+				Inode:      inode,
+				Links:      1,
+			})
+			rtest.OK(t, err)
 		case Dir:
 			id := saveDir(t, repo, node.Nodes, inode, getGenericAttributes)
 
@@ -895,6 +914,31 @@ func TestRestorerSparseFiles(t *testing.T) {
 		len(zeros), blocks, 100*sparsity)
 }
 
+func saveSnapshotsAndOverwrite(t *testing.T, baseSnapshot Snapshot, overwriteSnapshot Snapshot, options Options) string {
+	repo := repository.TestRepository(t)
+	tempdir := filepath.Join(rtest.TempDir(t), "target")
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	// base snapshot
+	sn, id := saveSnapshot(t, repo, baseSnapshot, noopGetGenericAttributes)
+	t.Logf("base snapshot saved as %v", id.Str())
+
+	res := NewRestorer(repo, sn, options)
+	rtest.OK(t, res.RestoreTo(ctx, tempdir))
+
+	// overwrite snapshot
+	sn, id = saveSnapshot(t, repo, overwriteSnapshot, noopGetGenericAttributes)
+	t.Logf("overwrite snapshot saved as %v", id.Str())
+	res = NewRestorer(repo, sn, options)
+	rtest.OK(t, res.RestoreTo(ctx, tempdir))
+
+	_, err := res.VerifyFiles(ctx, tempdir)
+	rtest.OK(t, err)
+
+	return tempdir
+}
+
 func TestRestorerSparseOverwrite(t *testing.T) {
 	baseSnapshot := Snapshot{
 		Nodes: map[string]Node{
@@ -908,29 +952,7 @@ func TestRestorerSparseOverwrite(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	repo := repository.TestRepository(t)
-	tempdir := filepath.Join(rtest.TempDir(t), "target")
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-	defer cancel()
-
-	// base snapshot
-	sn, id := saveSnapshot(t, repo, baseSnapshot, noopGetGenericAttributes)
-	t.Logf("base snapshot saved as %v", id.Str())
-
-	res := NewRestorer(repo, sn, Options{Sparse: true})
-	err := res.RestoreTo(ctx, tempdir)
-	rtest.OK(t, err)
-
-	// sparse snapshot
-	sn, id = saveSnapshot(t, repo, sparseSnapshot, noopGetGenericAttributes)
-	t.Logf("base snapshot saved as %v", id.Str())
-
-	res = NewRestorer(repo, sn, Options{Sparse: true, Overwrite: OverwriteAlways})
-	err = res.RestoreTo(ctx, tempdir)
-	rtest.OK(t, err)
-	files, err := res.VerifyFiles(ctx, tempdir)
-	rtest.OK(t, err)
-	rtest.Equals(t, 1, files, "unexpected number of verified files")
+	saveSnapshotsAndOverwrite(t, baseSnapshot, sparseSnapshot, Options{Sparse: true, Overwrite: OverwriteAlways})
 }
 
 func TestRestorerOverwriteBehavior(t *testing.T) {
@@ -993,26 +1015,7 @@ func TestRestorerOverwriteBehavior(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		t.Run("", func(t *testing.T) {
-			repo := repository.TestRepository(t)
-			tempdir := filepath.Join(rtest.TempDir(t), "target")
-			ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-			defer cancel()
-
-			// base snapshot
-			sn, id := saveSnapshot(t, repo, baseSnapshot, noopGetGenericAttributes)
-			t.Logf("base snapshot saved as %v", id.Str())
-
-			res := NewRestorer(repo, sn, Options{})
-			rtest.OK(t, res.RestoreTo(ctx, tempdir))
-
-			// overwrite snapshot
-			sn, id = saveSnapshot(t, repo, overwriteSnapshot, noopGetGenericAttributes)
-			t.Logf("overwrite snapshot saved as %v", id.Str())
-			res = NewRestorer(repo, sn, Options{Overwrite: test.Overwrite})
-			rtest.OK(t, res.RestoreTo(ctx, tempdir))
-
-			_, err := res.VerifyFiles(ctx, tempdir)
-			rtest.OK(t, err)
+			tempdir := saveSnapshotsAndOverwrite(t, baseSnapshot, overwriteSnapshot, Options{Overwrite: test.Overwrite})
 
 			for filename, content := range test.Files {
 				data, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, filepath.FromSlash(filename)))
@@ -1029,6 +1032,56 @@ func TestRestorerOverwriteBehavior(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRestorerOverwriteSpecial(t *testing.T) {
+	baseTime := time.Now()
+	baseSnapshot := Snapshot{
+		Nodes: map[string]Node{
+			"dirtest":  Dir{ModTime: baseTime},
+			"link":     Symlink{Target: "foo", ModTime: baseTime},
+			"file":     File{Data: "content: file\n", Inode: 42, Links: 2, ModTime: baseTime},
+			"hardlink": File{Data: "content: file\n", Inode: 42, Links: 2, ModTime: baseTime},
+			"newdir":   File{Data: "content: dir\n", ModTime: baseTime},
+		},
+	}
+	overwriteSnapshot := Snapshot{
+		Nodes: map[string]Node{
+			"dirtest":  Symlink{Target: "foo", ModTime: baseTime},
+			"link":     File{Data: "content: link\n", Inode: 42, Links: 2, ModTime: baseTime.Add(time.Second)},
+			"file":     Symlink{Target: "foo2", ModTime: baseTime},
+			"hardlink": File{Data: "content: link\n", Inode: 42, Links: 2, ModTime: baseTime.Add(time.Second)},
+			"newdir":   Dir{ModTime: baseTime},
+		},
+	}
+
+	files := map[string]string{
+		"link":     "content: link\n",
+		"hardlink": "content: link\n",
+	}
+	links := map[string]string{
+		"dirtest": "foo",
+		"file":    "foo2",
+	}
+
+	tempdir := saveSnapshotsAndOverwrite(t, baseSnapshot, overwriteSnapshot, Options{Overwrite: OverwriteAlways})
+
+	for filename, content := range files {
+		data, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, filepath.FromSlash(filename)))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("unable to read file %v: %v", filename, err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if !bytes.Equal(data, []byte(content)) {
+			t.Errorf("file %v has wrong content: want %q, got %q", filename, content, data)
+		}
+	}
+	for filename, target := range links {
+		link, err := fs.Readlink(filepath.Join(tempdir, filepath.FromSlash(filename)))
+		rtest.OK(t, err)
+		rtest.Equals(t, link, target, "wrong symlink target")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRestoreModified(t *testing.T) {
 	// overwrite files between snapshots and also change their filesize
 	snapshots := []Snapshot{
diff --git a/internal/restorer/sparsewrite.go b/internal/restorer/sparsewrite.go
index 2c1f234de..ae354f64f 100644
--- a/internal/restorer/sparsewrite.go
+++ b/internal/restorer/sparsewrite.go
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-//go:build !windows
-// +build !windows
-
 package restorer
 
 import (