diff --git a/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw b/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw
index a35146ca8..29e5a09e3 100644
--- a/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw
+++ b/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw
@@ -3133,6 +3133,10 @@ On first run, creates the file with all settings commented out at their defaults
   <data name="WSLCCLI_FollowArgDescription" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Follow log output</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="WSLCCLI_FollowLinkArgDescription" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Always follow symlinks in SRC_PATH</value>
+    <comment>{Locked="SRC_PATH"}Command line arguments should not be translated</comment>
+  </data>
   <data name="WSLCCLI_FormatArgDescription" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Output formatting (json or table) (Default: table)</value>
     <comment>{Locked="json"}{Locked="table"}Command line arguments should not be translated</comment>
diff --git a/src/windows/inc/docker_schema.h b/src/windows/inc/docker_schema.h
index 921d7219a..665312326 100644
--- a/src/windows/inc/docker_schema.h
+++ b/src/windows/inc/docker_schema.h
@@ -55,6 +55,26 @@ struct ErrorResponse
     NLOHMANN_DEFINE_TYPE_INTRUSIVE_WITH_DEFAULT(ErrorResponse, message);
 };
 
+// Payload of the X-Docker-Container-Path-Stat response header on /containers/{id}/archive.
+struct ContainerPathStat
+{
+    std::string name;
+    int64_t size{};
+    uint32_t mode{};
+    std::string mtime;
+    std::string linkTarget;
+
+    // Go encodes os.FileMode in the mode field; the symlink bit is 27.
+    static constexpr uint32_t c_modeSymlink = 1u << 27;
+
+    bool IsSymlink() const
+    {
+        return (mode & c_modeSymlink) != 0;
+    }
+
+    NLOHMANN_DEFINE_TYPE_INTRUSIVE_WITH_DEFAULT(ContainerPathStat, name, size, mode, mtime, linkTarget);
+};
+
 struct ImageLoadResult
 {
     std::optional<std::string> stream;
diff --git a/src/windows/service/inc/wslc.idl b/src/windows/service/inc/wslc.idl
index c4ee8321c..d81fd10ce 100644
--- a/src/windows/service/inc/wslc.idl
+++ b/src/windows/service/inc/wslc.idl
@@ -582,6 +582,10 @@ interface IWSLCContainer : IUnknown
     HRESULT DisconnectFromNetwork([in] LPCSTR NetworkName);
     HRESULT UploadArchive([in] WSLCHandle TarHandle, [in, string] LPCSTR DestPath, [in] ULONGLONG ContentSize);
     HRESULT DownloadArchive([in, string] LPCSTR SrcPath, [in] WSLCHandle OutHandle);
+
+    // Resolves a path inside the container to the target of its symbolic link. Sets *Target to NULL when the path
+    // does not exist or is not a symbolic link.
+    HRESULT ResolveArchiveSymlink([in, string] LPCSTR SrcPath, [out] LPSTR* Target);
 }
 
 typedef struct _WSLCDeletedImageInformation
diff --git a/src/windows/wslc/arguments/ArgumentDefinitions.h b/src/windows/wslc/arguments/ArgumentDefinitions.h
index b5893c363..5ffe8610f 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslc/arguments/ArgumentDefinitions.h
+++ b/src/windows/wslc/arguments/ArgumentDefinitions.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ _(EnvFile,          "env-file",             NO_ALIAS,         Kind::Value,
 _(File,             "file",                 L"f",             Kind::Value,      NoConversion, Localization::WSLCCLI_FileArgDescription()) \
 _(Filter,           "filter",               L"f",             Kind::Value,      KeyValuePair, Localization::WSLCCLI_FilterArgDescription()) \
 _(Follow,           "follow",               L"f",             Kind::Flag,       NoConversion, Localization::WSLCCLI_FollowArgDescription()) \
+_(FollowLink,       "follow-link",          L"L",             Kind::Flag,       NoConversion, Localization::WSLCCLI_FollowLinkArgDescription()) \
 _(Timestamps,       "timestamps",           L"t",             Kind::Flag,       NoConversion, Localization::WSLCCLI_TimestampsArgDescription()) \
 _(Since,            "since",                NO_ALIAS,         Kind::Value,      LONGLONG,     Localization::WSLCCLI_SinceArgDescription()) \
 _(Until,            "until",                NO_ALIAS,         Kind::Value,      LONGLONG,     Localization::WSLCCLI_UntilArgDescription()) \
diff --git a/src/windows/wslc/commands/ContainerCpCommand.cpp b/src/windows/wslc/commands/ContainerCpCommand.cpp
index 849e31a45..9f5712035 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslc/commands/ContainerCpCommand.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslc/commands/ContainerCpCommand.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ std::vector<Argument> ContainerCpCommand::GetArguments() const
 {
     return {
         Argument::Create(ArgType::Archive),
+        Argument::Create(ArgType::FollowLink),
         Argument::Create(ArgType::Source, {.Required = true, .Desc = Localization::WSLCCLI_CpSourceArgDescription()}),
         Argument::Create(ArgType::Target, {.Required = true, .Desc = Localization::WSLCCLI_CpTargetArgDescription()}),
     };
diff --git a/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.cpp b/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.cpp
index a8639ca99..999bf39e2 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.cpp
@@ -828,6 +828,24 @@ void ContainerService::CopyFromContainer(Session& session, const std::string& id
     THROW_IF_FAILED(container->DownloadArchive(srcPath.c_str(), ToCOMInputHandle(outputHandle)));
 }
 
+std::optional<std::string> ContainerService::ResolveContainerSymlink(Session& session, const std::string& id, const std::string& srcPath)
+{
+    [[maybe_unused]] auto operation = session.BeginContainerOperation();
+
+    wil::com_ptr<IWSLCContainer> container;
+    THROW_IF_FAILED(session.Get()->OpenContainer(id.c_str(), &container));
+
+    wil::unique_cotaskmem_ansistring target;
+    THROW_IF_FAILED(container->ResolveArchiveSymlink(srcPath.c_str(), &target));
+
+    if (!target)
+    {
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
+
+    return std::string(target.get());
+}
+
 void ContainerService::Logs(Session& session, const std::string& id, bool follow, bool timestamps, LONGLONG since, LONGLONG until, ULONGLONG tail)
 {
     [[maybe_unused]] auto operation = session.BeginContainerOperation();
diff --git a/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.h b/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.h
index 29b009e67..348737de5 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.h
+++ b/src/windows/wslc/services/ContainerService.h
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ struct ContainerService
     static void Export(models::Session& session, const std::string& id, HANDLE outputHandle);
     static void CopyToContainer(models::Session& session, const std::string& id, const std::string& destPath, HANDLE inputHandle, ULONGLONG contentSize);
     static void CopyFromContainer(models::Session& session, const std::string& id, const std::string& srcPath, HANDLE outputHandle);
+
+    // Returns the target of a symbolic link inside the container, or nullopt if the path is not a symbolic link.
+    static std::optional<std::string> ResolveContainerSymlink(models::Session& session, const std::string& id, const std::string& srcPath);
     static wsl::windows::common::wslc_schema::InspectContainer Inspect(models::Session& session, const std::string& id);
     static void Logs(models::Session& session, const std::string& id, bool follow, bool timestamps, LONGLONG since, LONGLONG until, ULONGLONG tail = 0);
     static wsl::windows::common::docker_schema::ContainerStats Stats(models::Session& session, const std::string& id);
diff --git a/src/windows/wslc/tasks/ContainerTasks.cpp b/src/windows/wslc/tasks/ContainerTasks.cpp
index edc48b934..6f00fa2de 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslc/tasks/ContainerTasks.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslc/tasks/ContainerTasks.cpp
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ void ContainerCp(CLIExecutionContext& context)
     auto& session = context.Data.Get<Data::Session>();
     const auto& source = context.Args.GetValue<ArgType::Source>();
     const auto& target = context.Args.GetValue<ArgType::Target>();
+    const bool followLink = context.Args.GetValue<ArgType::FollowLink>();
 
     // Determine copy direction by looking for CONTAINER:PATH patterns.
     // A single letter before ':' is a Windows drive path (e.g. C:\path), not a container reference.
@@ -371,6 +372,17 @@ void ContainerCp(CLIExecutionContext& context)
             THROW_HR_WITH_USER_ERROR_IF(E_INVALIDARG, Localization::WSLCCLI_CpSourceNotFoundError(source), fsError || !pathExists);
 
             auto absPath = std::filesystem::absolute(source);
+
+            // With --follow-link, resolve symlinks in the source so the link target is archived instead of the
+            // link itself.
+            if (followLink)
+            {
+                std::error_code linkError;
+                auto resolved = std::filesystem::canonical(absPath, linkError);
+                THROW_HR_WITH_USER_ERROR_IF(E_INVALIDARG, Localization::WSLCCLI_CpSourceNotFoundError(source), !!linkError);
+                absPath = std::move(resolved);
+            }
+
             auto parentDir = absPath.parent_path().wstring();
             auto fileName = absPath.filename().wstring();
 
@@ -408,6 +420,16 @@ void ContainerCp(CLIExecutionContext& context)
         auto [containerId, srcPath] = parseContainerPath(source);
         THROW_HR_WITH_USER_ERROR_IF(E_INVALIDARG, Localization::WSLCCLI_CpInvalidSourceError(), containerId.empty() || srcPath.empty());
 
+        // With --follow-link, when the container path is a symbolic link, copy what it points at.
+        if (followLink)
+        {
+            auto linkTarget = ContainerService::ResolveContainerSymlink(session, containerId, srcPath);
+            if (linkTarget.has_value())
+            {
+                srcPath = std::move(*linkTarget);
+            }
+        }
+
         // Resolve any symlinks in the target path since tar.exe refuses to extract through a symlink.
         std::error_code canonicalError;
         auto absTarget = wsl::windows::common::filesystem::GetCanonicalPath(target, canonicalError);
diff --git a/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.cpp b/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.cpp
index ae04b4511..0645d57ef 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.cpp
@@ -433,6 +433,36 @@ std::tuple<uint32_t, wil::unique_socket, bool> DockerHTTPClient::GetArchive(cons
     return {response.result_int(), std::move(socket), response.chunked()};
 }
 
+std::optional<docker_schema::ContainerPathStat> DockerHTTPClient::StatArchivePath(const std::string& ContainerID, const std::string& Path)
+{
+    auto url = URL::Create("/containers/{}/archive", ContainerID);
+    url.SetParameter("path", Path);
+
+    // The engine reports the stat in a response header, so the archive body is never read and the connection is
+    // dropped as soon as the header has been parsed.
+    auto [response, socket] = SendRequest(verb::get, url, {}, {});
+    socket.reset();
+
+    if (response.result_int() == 404)
+    {
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
+
+    if (response.result_int() != 200)
+    {
+        throw DockerHTTPException(std::move(response), verb::get, url.Get(), "", "");
+    }
+
+    const auto header = response["X-Docker-Container-Path-Stat"];
+    if (header.empty())
+    {
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
+
+    const auto decoded = wslutil::Base64Decode(std::string(header));
+    return wsl::shared::FromJson<docker_schema::ContainerPathStat>(decoded.c_str());
+}
+
 docker_schema::Volume DockerHTTPClient::CreateVolume(const docker_schema::CreateVolume& Request)
 {
     return Transaction<docker_schema::CreateVolume>(verb::post, URL::Create("/volumes/create"), Request);
diff --git a/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.h b/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.h
index 2f8f23253..6f3e49887 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.h
+++ b/src/windows/wslcsession/DockerHTTPClient.h
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ class DockerHTTPClient
     std::pair<uint32_t, wil::unique_socket> ExportContainer(const std::string& ContainerID);
     std::unique_ptr<HTTPRequestContext> PutArchive(const std::string& ContainerID, const std::string& Path, std::optional<uint64_t> ContentLength);
     std::tuple<uint32_t, wil::unique_socket, bool> GetArchive(const std::string& ContainerID, const std::string& Path);
+
+    // Reads the X-Docker-Container-Path-Stat header for a container path. Returns nullopt if the path does not
+    // exist or the response carries no stat header. Any other failure status throws.
+    std::optional<common::docker_schema::ContainerPathStat> StatArchivePath(const std::string& ContainerID, const std::string& Path);
     common::docker_schema::PruneContainerResult PruneContainers(const std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string>>& filters = {});
 
     // Volume management.
diff --git a/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.cpp b/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.cpp
index 495e0c152..02642b9bd 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.cpp
+++ b/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.cpp
@@ -2679,6 +2679,33 @@ std::string WSLCContainerImpl::InspectLockHeld() const
     return wsl::shared::ToJson(wslcInspect);
 }
 
+void WSLCContainerImpl::ResolveArchiveSymlink(LPCSTR SrcPath, LPSTR* Target) const
+{
+    auto lock = m_lock.lock_shared();
+
+    *Target = nullptr;
+
+    const auto stat = m_runtime.Docker().StatArchivePath(m_id, SrcPath);
+    if (!stat.has_value() || !stat->IsSymlink() || stat->linkTarget.empty())
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Container paths are POSIX. A relative link target is resolved against the directory holding the link.
+    std::string resolved = stat->linkTarget;
+    if (resolved.front() != '/')
+    {
+        const std::string source(SrcPath);
+        const auto separator = source.find_last_of('/');
+        if (separator != std::string::npos)
+        {
+            resolved = source.substr(0, separator + 1) + resolved;
+        }
+    }
+
+    *Target = wil::make_unique_ansistring<wil::unique_cotaskmem_ansistring>(resolved.c_str()).release();
+}
+
 void WSLCContainerImpl::Logs(WSLCLogsFlags Flags, WSLCHandle* Stdout, WSLCHandle* Stderr, LONGLONG Since, LONGLONG Until, ULONGLONG Tail) const
 {
     auto lock = m_lock.lock_shared();
@@ -3184,6 +3211,22 @@ try
 }
 CATCH_RETURN();
 
+HRESULT WSLCContainer::ResolveArchiveSymlink(LPCSTR SrcPath, LPSTR* Target)
+try
+{
+    WSLCExecutionContext context(&m_session);
+
+    RETURN_HR_IF(E_POINTER, SrcPath == nullptr);
+    RETURN_HR_IF(E_POINTER, Target == nullptr);
+    RETURN_HR_IF(E_INVALIDARG, SrcPath[0] == '\0');
+
+    *Target = nullptr;
+
+    auto vmLease = m_session.Runtime().AcquireVmLease();
+    return CallImpl(&WSLCContainerImpl::ResolveArchiveSymlink, SrcPath, Target);
+}
+CATCH_RETURN();
+
 HRESULT WSLCContainer::Logs(WSLCLogsFlags Flags, WSLCHandle* Stdout, WSLCHandle* Stderr, LONGLONG Since, LONGLONG Until, ULONGLONG Tail)
 try
 {
diff --git a/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.h b/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.h
index f145aaaee..b4a3ba78e 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.h
+++ b/src/windows/wslcsession/WSLCContainer.h
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ class WSLCContainerImpl : public std::enable_shared_from_this<WSLCContainerImpl>
     void Export(WSLCHandle TarHandle) const;
     void UploadArchive(WSLCHandle TarHandle, LPCSTR DestPath, ULONGLONG ContentSize) const;
     void DownloadArchive(LPCSTR SrcPath, WSLCHandle OutHandle) const;
+    void ResolveArchiveSymlink(LPCSTR SrcPath, LPSTR* Target) const;
     void GetStateChangedAt(_Out_ LONGLONG* StateChangedAt);
     void GetCreatedAt(_Out_ LONGLONG* CreatedAt);
     void GetState(_Out_ WSLCContainerState* State);
@@ -275,6 +276,7 @@ class DECLSPEC_UUID("B1F1C4E3-C225-4CAE-AD8A-34C004DE1AE4") WSLCContainer
     IFACEMETHOD(Export)(_In_ WSLCHandle TarHandle) override;
     IFACEMETHOD(UploadArchive)(_In_ WSLCHandle TarHandle, _In_ LPCSTR DestPath, _In_ ULONGLONG ContentSize) override;
     IFACEMETHOD(DownloadArchive)(_In_ LPCSTR SrcPath, _In_ WSLCHandle OutHandle) override;
+    IFACEMETHOD(ResolveArchiveSymlink)(_In_ LPCSTR SrcPath, _Out_ LPSTR* Target) override;
     IFACEMETHOD(GetState)(_Out_ WSLCContainerState* State) override;
     IFACEMETHOD(GetInitProcess)(_Out_ IWSLCProcess** process) override;
     IFACEMETHOD(Exec)(_In_ const WSLCProcessOptions* Options, _In_opt_ const WSLCProcessStartOptions* StartOptions, _Out_ IWSLCProcess** Process) override;
diff --git a/test/windows/wslc/CommandLineTestCases.h b/test/windows/wslc/CommandLineTestCases.h
index 849a5353b..3c45ee006 100644
--- a/test/windows/wslc/CommandLineTestCases.h
+++ b/test/windows/wslc/CommandLineTestCases.h
@@ -251,6 +251,17 @@ COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -a=1 - cont1:/path", L"cp", true)
 COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -a=0 - cont1:/path", L"cp", true)
 COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -a=invalid - cont1:/path", L"cp", false)
 COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp --archive=invalid - cont1:/path", L"cp", false)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -L cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp --follow-link cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp --follow-link somefile cont1:/path", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -L=true cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -L=false cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp --follow-link=true cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp --follow-link=false cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -a -L cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", true)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -L=invalid cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", false)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp --followlink cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", false)
+COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -l cont1:/path somefile", L"cp", false)
 COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp", L"cp", false)
 COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp -", L"cp", false)
 COMMAND_LINE_TEST_CASE(L"container cp - ", L"cp", false)
diff --git a/test/windows/wslc/WSLCCLICommandUnitTests.cpp b/test/windows/wslc/WSLCCLICommandUnitTests.cpp
index f54c9b722..499a24af3 100644
--- a/test/windows/wslc/WSLCCLICommandUnitTests.cpp
+++ b/test/windows/wslc/WSLCCLICommandUnitTests.cpp
@@ -183,6 +183,28 @@ class WSLCCLICommandUnitTests
         VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(2u, cmd.GetAllArguments().size());
     }
 
+    // --follow-link is exposed with the -L short alias.
+    TEST_METHOD(ContainerCpCommand_HasFollowLinkArgumentWithAlias)
+    {
+        auto cmd = ContainerCpCommand(L"wslc");
+
+        bool found = false;
+        for (const auto& arg : cmd.GetArguments())
+        {
+            if (arg.Type() == ArgType::FollowLink)
+            {
+                found = true;
+                VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(std::wstring(L"follow-link"), arg.Name());
+                VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(std::wstring(L"L"), arg.Alias());
+                VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(Kind::Flag, arg.Kind());
+                VERIFY_IS_FALSE(arg.Required());
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        VERIFY_IS_TRUE(found, L"ContainerCpCommand should expose --follow-link");
+    }
+
     // Test: Verify RootCommand contains VersionCommand as a subcommand
     TEST_METHOD(RootCommand_ContainsVersionCommand)
     {
diff --git a/test/windows/wslc/e2e/WSLCE2EContainerCpTests.cpp b/test/windows/wslc/e2e/WSLCE2EContainerCpTests.cpp
index 6509f2255..7c0eac9dd 100644
--- a/test/windows/wslc/e2e/WSLCE2EContainerCpTests.cpp
+++ b/test/windows/wslc/e2e/WSLCE2EContainerCpTests.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,16 @@ class WSLCE2EContainerCpTests
         VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(L"", result.Stderr.value());
     }
 
+    WSLC_TEST_METHOD(WSLCE2E_Container_Cp_HelpListsFollowLink)
+    {
+        auto result = RunWslc(L"container cp --help");
+        VERIFY_IS_TRUE(result.ExitCode.has_value());
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(0u, result.ExitCode.value());
+        VERIFY_IS_TRUE(result.Stdout.has_value());
+        VERIFY_IS_TRUE(result.Stdout->find(L"--follow-link") != std::wstring::npos);
+        VERIFY_IS_TRUE(result.Stdout->find(L"-L") != std::wstring::npos);
+    }
+
     WSLC_TEST_METHOD(WSLCE2E_Container_Cp_MissingBothArgs)
     {
         const auto result = RunWslc(L"container cp");
@@ -484,6 +494,36 @@ class WSLCE2EContainerCpTests
         VERIFY_IS_TRUE(std::filesystem::is_regular_file(targetFile));
     }
 
+    WSLC_TEST_METHOD(WSLCE2E_Container_Cp_ContainerToLocal_FollowLinkCopiesTarget)
+    {
+        auto runResult =
+            RunWslc(std::format(L"container run -d --name {} {} sleep infinity", WslcContainerName, DebianImage.NameAndTag()));
+        runResult.Verify({.Stderr = L"", .ExitCode = 0});
+
+        // A regular file plus a symbolic link pointing at it.
+        auto execResult = RunWslc(
+            std::format(L"container exec {} sh -c \"echo follow-link-target > /tmp/linktarget.txt; ln -s /tmp/linktarget.txt /tmp/thelink.txt\"", WslcContainerName));
+        execResult.Verify({.ExitCode = 0});
+
+        auto downloadDir = std::filesystem::current_path() / L"wslc-cp-follow-link-test";
+        std::filesystem::create_directories(downloadDir);
+        auto cleanupDir = wil::scope_exit([&] { std::filesystem::remove_all(downloadDir); });
+
+        // --follow-link copies what the link points at, so the target's name and contents land locally.
+        const auto cpResult =
+            RunWslc(std::format(L"container cp --follow-link {}:/tmp/thelink.txt {}", WslcContainerName, downloadDir.wstring()));
+        cpResult.Verify({.Stdout = L"", .Stderr = L"", .ExitCode = 0});
+
+        const auto copied = downloadDir / L"linktarget.txt";
+        VERIFY_IS_TRUE(std::filesystem::exists(copied));
+        VERIFY_IS_TRUE(std::filesystem::is_regular_file(copied));
+        VERIFY_IS_FALSE(std::filesystem::is_symlink(copied));
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(std::wstring(L"follow-link-target\n"), ReadFileContent(copied.wstring()));
+
+        // The link's own name is never used as the destination when the link is followed.
+        VERIFY_IS_FALSE(std::filesystem::exists(downloadDir / L"thelink.txt"));
+    }
+
     WSLC_TEST_METHOD(WSLCE2E_Container_Cp_ContainerToLocal_NonexistentPath)
     {
         // Regression test: DownloadArchive used to hang on 404 because the HTTP/1.1 keep-alive