diff --git a/include/libbb.h b/include/libbb.h
index 110e8ec39..47b2e0829 100644
--- a/include/libbb.h
+++ b/include/libbb.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ char* last_char_is(const char *s, int c);
 
 enum {
 	ACTION_RECURSE     = (1 << 0),
-	/* ACTION_FOLLOWLINKS = (1 << 1), - unused */
+	ACTION_FOLLOWLINKS    = (1 << 1),
 	ACTION_DEPTHFIRST  = (1 << 2),
 	/*ACTION_REVERSE   = (1 << 3), - unused */
 };
diff --git a/lib/recursive_action.c b/lib/recursive_action.c
index 1ef758df6..5bc2595db 100644
--- a/lib/recursive_action.c
+++ b/lib/recursive_action.c
@@ -54,14 +54,19 @@ int recursive_action(const char *fileName,
 		const unsigned depth)
 {
 	struct stat statbuf;
+	unsigned follow;
 	int status;
 	DIR *dir;
 	struct dirent *next;
 
 	if (!fileAction) fileAction = true_action;
 	if (!dirAction) dirAction = true_action;
-	status = stat(fileName, &statbuf);
 
+	follow = ACTION_FOLLOWLINKS;
+	if (depth == 0)
+		follow = ACTION_FOLLOWLINKS;
+	follow &= flags;
+	status = (follow ? stat : lstat)(fileName, &statbuf);
 	if (status < 0) {
 #ifdef DEBUG_RECURS_ACTION
 		bb_error_msg("status=%d followLinks=%d TRUE=%d",
diff --git a/scripts/bareboxenv.c b/scripts/bareboxenv.c
index 866e345b9..f7f5351ca 100644
--- a/scripts/bareboxenv.c
+++ b/scripts/bareboxenv.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ char* last_char_is(const char *s, int c)
 
 enum {
 	ACTION_RECURSE     = (1 << 0),
-	/* ACTION_FOLLOWLINKS = (1 << 1), - unused */
+	ACTION_FOLLOWLINKS = (1 << 1),
 	ACTION_DEPTHFIRST  = (1 << 2),
 	/*ACTION_REVERSE   = (1 << 3), - unused */
 };