diff --git a/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/filesystem.scrbl b/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/filesystem.scrbl
index fdaa57e98a..d5c4edeb72 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/filesystem.scrbl
+++ b/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/filesystem.scrbl
@@ -936,20 +936,24 @@ Displays each element of @racket[lst] to @racket[path], adding
 @racket[open-output-file].}
 
 @defproc[(copy-directory/files [src path-string?] [dest path-string?]
-                               [#:keep-modify-seconds? keep-modify-seconds? #f])
+                               [#:keep-modify-seconds? keep-modify-seconds? #f]
+                               [#:preserve-links? preserve-links? #f])
          void?]{
 
 Copies the file or directory @racket[src] to @racket[dest], raising
 @racket[exn:fail:filesystem] if the file or directory cannot be
 copied, possibly because @racket[dest] exists already. If @racket[src]
 is a directory, the copy applies recursively to the directory's
-content. If a source is a link, the target of the link is copied
-rather than the link itself.
+content. If a source is a link and @racket[preserve-links?] is @racket[#f],
+the target of the link is copied rather than the link itself; if
+@racket[preserve-links?] is @racket[#t], the link is copied.
 
 If @racket[keep-modify-seconds?] is @racket[#f], then file copies
-keep only the properties kept by @racket[copy-file], If
+keep only the properties kept by @racket[copy-file]. If
 @racket[keep-modify-seconds?] is true, then each file copy also keeps
-the modification date of the original.}
+the modification date of the original.
+
+@history[#:changed "6.2.900.9" @elem{Added the @racket[#:preserve-links?] argument.}]}
 
 
 @defproc[(delete-directory/files [path path-string?]
diff --git a/racket/collects/racket/file.rkt b/racket/collects/racket/file.rkt
index 7a5bd1bd34..47938ed822 100644
--- a/racket/collects/racket/file.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/racket/file.rkt
@@ -64,15 +64,21 @@
 (define (raise-not-a-file-or-directory who path)
   (raise
    (make-exn:fail:filesystem
-    (format "~a: encountered ~a, neither a file nor a directory"
+    (format "~a: encountered path that is neither file nor directory\n  path: ~a"
             who
             path)
     (current-continuation-marks))))
 
-(define (copy-directory/files src dest 
-                              #:keep-modify-seconds? [keep-modify-seconds? #f])
+(define (copy-directory/files src dest
+                              #:keep-modify-seconds? [keep-modify-seconds? #f]
+                              #:preserve-links? [preserve-links? #f])
   (let loop ([src src] [dest dest])
-    (cond [(file-exists? src)
+    (cond [(and preserve-links?
+                (link-exists? src))
+           (make-file-or-directory-link
+            (resolve-path src)
+            dest)]
+          [(file-exists? src)
            (copy-file src dest)
            (when keep-modify-seconds?
              (file-or-directory-modify-seconds