diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a46fae9ada6..d1a0d11936a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ Ansible Changes By Release
 * Fix removal of newlines when writing SELinux config (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/30618)
 * clarified extension requirement for constructed inv plugin
 * really turn off inventory caching, toggle will be added in 2.5
+* for inventory sources, dont follow symlinks to calculate base directory, used for group/host_vars
 
 <a id="2.4"></a>
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
index 7d285740642..3660e4bf15d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ class CLI(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
                     self.options.inventory = [self.options.inventory]
 
                 # Ensure full paths when needed
-                self.options.inventory = [unfrackpath(opt) if ',' not in opt else opt for opt in self.options.inventory]
+                self.options.inventory = [unfrackpath(opt, follow=False) if ',' not in opt else opt for opt in self.options.inventory]
 
             else:
                 self.options.inventory = C.DEFAULT_HOST_LIST