diff --git a/file b/file
index 3931f1ec3b9..039f3bb4c88 100755
--- a/file
+++ b/file
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ def rmtree_error(func, path, exc_info):
 # go...
 
 prev_state = 'absent'
-if os.path.exists(path):
+if os.path.lexists(path):
     if os.path.islink(path):
         prev_state = 'link'
     elif os.path.isfile(path):