diff --git a/internal/model/puller.go b/internal/model/puller.go
index 3124940d2..968db7a76 100644
--- a/internal/model/puller.go
+++ b/internal/model/puller.go
@@ -373,12 +373,11 @@ func (p *Puller) handleDir(file protocol.FileInfo) {
 	}
 
 	info, err := os.Lstat(realName)
-	isLink, _ := symlinks.IsSymlink(realName)
 	switch {
 	// There is already something under that name, but it's a file/link.
 	// Most likely a file/link is getting replaced with a directory.
 	// Remove the file/link and fall through to directory creation.
-	case isLink || (err == nil && !info.IsDir()):
+	case err == nil && (!info.IsDir() || info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink != 0):
 		err = osutil.InWritableDir(os.Remove, realName)
 		if err != nil {
 			l.Infof("Puller (folder %q, dir %q): %v", p.folder, file.Name, err)
@@ -795,8 +794,7 @@ func (p *Puller) performFinish(state *sharedPullerState) {
 	// If the target path is a symlink or a directory, we cannot copy
 	// over it, hence remove it before proceeding.
 	stat, err := os.Lstat(state.realName)
-	isLink, _ := symlinks.IsSymlink(state.realName)
-	if isLink || (err == nil && stat.IsDir()) {
+	if err == nil && (stat.IsDir() || stat.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink != 0) {
 		osutil.InWritableDir(os.Remove, state.realName)
 	}
 	// Replace the original content with the new one
diff --git a/internal/scanner/walk.go b/internal/scanner/walk.go
index f3f7cb5a8..403958613 100644
--- a/internal/scanner/walk.go
+++ b/internal/scanner/walk.go
@@ -131,12 +131,9 @@ func (w *Walker) walkAndHashFiles(fchan chan protocol.FileInfo) filepath.WalkFun
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		// We must perform this check, as symlinks on Windows are always
-		// .IsRegular or .IsDir unlike on Unix.
 		// Index wise symlinks are always files, regardless of what the target
 		// is, because symlinks carry their target path as their content.
-		isSymlink, _ := symlinks.IsSymlink(p)
-		if isSymlink {
+		if info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink != 0 {
 			var rval error
 			// If the target is a directory, do NOT descend down there.
 			// This will cause files to get tracked, and removing the symlink
@@ -199,7 +196,7 @@ func (w *Walker) walkAndHashFiles(fchan chan protocol.FileInfo) filepath.WalkFun
 			if w.CurrentFiler != nil {
 				cf := w.CurrentFiler.CurrentFile(rn)
 				permUnchanged := w.IgnorePerms || !cf.HasPermissionBits() || PermsEqual(cf.Flags, uint32(info.Mode()))
-				if !cf.IsDeleted() && cf.IsDirectory() && permUnchanged {
+				if !cf.IsDeleted() && cf.IsDirectory() && permUnchanged && !cf.IsSymlink() {
 					return nil
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/internal/symlinks/symlink_unix.go b/internal/symlinks/symlink_unix.go
index 814c74118..4dd73cb12 100644
--- a/internal/symlinks/symlink_unix.go
+++ b/internal/symlinks/symlink_unix.go
@@ -41,14 +41,6 @@ func Read(path string) (string, uint32, error) {
 	return osutil.NormalizedFilename(path), mode, err
 }
 
-func IsSymlink(path string) (bool, error) {
-	lstat, err := os.Lstat(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-	return lstat.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink != 0, nil
-}
-
 func Create(source, target string, flags uint32) error {
 	return os.Symlink(osutil.NativeFilename(target), source)
 }
diff --git a/internal/symlinks/symlink_windows.go b/internal/symlinks/symlink_windows.go
index 93a14b588..0aeb6b837 100644
--- a/internal/symlinks/symlink_windows.go
+++ b/internal/symlinks/symlink_windows.go
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ func init() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	isLink, err := IsSymlink(path)
-	if err != nil || !isLink {
+	stat, err := os.Lstat(path)
+	if err != nil || stat.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -139,19 +139,6 @@ func Read(path string) (string, uint32, error) {
 	return osutil.NormalizedFilename(data.PrintName()), flags, nil
 }
 
-func IsSymlink(path string) (bool, error) {
-	ptr, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-
-	attr, err := syscall.GetFileAttributes(ptr)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-	return attr&FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT != 0, nil
-}
-
 func Create(source, target string, flags uint32) error {
 	srcp, err := syscall.UTF16PtrFromString(source)
 	if err != nil {