diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/blockinfile.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/blockinfile.py
index b3ef4e149d8..9683c95a51e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/blockinfile.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/blockinfile.py
@@ -77,16 +77,11 @@ options:
         get the original file back if you somehow clobbered it incorrectly.
     type: bool
     default: 'no'
-  follow:
-    description:
-      - 'This flag indicates that filesystem links, if they exist, should be followed.'
-    type: bool
-    default: 'no'
-    version_added: "2.1"
 notes:
   - This module supports check mode.
   - When using 'with_*' loops be aware that if you do not set a unique mark the block will be overwritten on each iteration.
   - As of Ansible 2.3, the I(dest) option has been changed to I(path) as default, but I(dest) still works as well.
+  - Option I(follow) has been removed in version 2.5, because this module modifies the contents of the file so I(follow=no) doesn't make sense.
 """
 
 EXAMPLES = r"""
@@ -203,8 +198,6 @@ def main():
 
     params = module.params
     path = params['path']
-    if module.boolean(params.get('follow', None)):
-        path = os.path.realpath(path)
 
     if os.path.isdir(path):
         module.fail_json(rc=256,
@@ -315,7 +308,9 @@ def main():
     if changed and not module.check_mode:
         if module.boolean(params['backup']) and path_exists:
             module.backup_local(path)
-        write_changes(module, result, path)
+        # We should always follow symlinks so that we change the real file
+        real_path = os.path.realpath(params['path'])
+        write_changes(module, result, real_path)
 
     if module.check_mode and not path_exists:
         module.exit_json(changed=changed, msg=msg, diff=diff)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
index f048572d5c2..06831a62b11 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
@@ -71,8 +71,9 @@ options:
   follow:
     description:
       - 'This flag indicates that filesystem links, if they exist, should be followed.'
+      - 'Previous to Ansible 2.5, this was C(no) by default.'
     type: bool
-    default: "no"
+    default: 'yes'
     version_added: "1.8"
 '''
 
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ def main():
             original_basename=dict(required=False),  # Internal use only, for recursive ops
             recurse=dict(default=False, type='bool'),
             force=dict(required=False, default=False, type='bool'),
+            follow=dict(required=False, default=True, type='bool'),
             diff_peek=dict(default=None),  # Internal use only, for internal checks in the action plugins
             validate=dict(required=False, default=None),  # Internal use only, for template and copy
             src=dict(required=False, default=None, type='path'),
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/replace.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/replace.py
index f2bf6da84ed..1a652b6b45e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/replace.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/replace.py
@@ -78,12 +78,6 @@ options:
   others:
     description:
       - All arguments accepted by the M(file) module also work here.
-  follow:
-    description:
-      - 'This flag indicates that filesystem links, if they exist, should be followed.'
-    type: bool
-    default: "no"
-    version_added: "1.9"
   encoding:
     description:
       - "The character encoding for reading and writing the file."
@@ -91,6 +85,7 @@ options:
     version_added: "2.4"
 notes:
   - As of Ansible 2.3, the I(dest) option has been changed to I(path) as default, but I(dest) still works as well.
+  - Option I(follow) has been removed in version 2.5, because this module modifies the contents of the file so I(follow=no) doesn't make sense.
 """
 
 EXAMPLES = r"""
@@ -269,8 +264,8 @@ def main():
     if changed and not module.check_mode:
         if params['backup'] and os.path.exists(path):
             res_args['backup_file'] = module.backup_local(path)
-        if params['follow'] and os.path.islink(path):
-            path = os.path.realpath(path)
+        # We should always follow symlinks so that we change the real file
+        path = os.path.realpath(path)
         write_changes(module, to_bytes(result[0], encoding=encoding), path)
 
     res_args['msg'], res_args['changed'] = check_file_attrs(module, changed, msg)