diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/file-nonexitent-link-recurse.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/file-nonexitent-link-recurse.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f1183d6fbfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/file-nonexitent-link-recurse.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+  - file module - Fix error when recursively assigning permissions and
+    a symlink to a nonexistent file is present in the directory tree
+    (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/39456)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
index 53b4575e6b4..7f2b433ad1d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py
@@ -160,16 +160,23 @@ def recursive_set_attributes(module, b_path, follow, file_args):
                 tmp_file_args['path'] = to_native(b_fsname, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
                 changed |= module.set_fs_attributes_if_different(tmp_file_args, changed, expand=False)
             else:
+                # Change perms on the link
                 tmp_file_args = file_args.copy()
                 tmp_file_args['path'] = to_native(b_fsname, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
                 changed |= module.set_fs_attributes_if_different(tmp_file_args, changed, expand=False)
+
                 if follow:
                     b_fsname = os.path.join(b_root, os.readlink(b_fsname))
-                    if os.path.isdir(b_fsname):
-                        changed |= recursive_set_attributes(module, b_fsname, follow, file_args)
-                    tmp_file_args = file_args.copy()
-                    tmp_file_args['path'] = to_native(b_fsname, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
-                    changed |= module.set_fs_attributes_if_different(tmp_file_args, changed, expand=False)
+                    # The link target could be nonexistent
+                    if os.path.exists(b_fsname):
+                        if os.path.isdir(b_fsname):
+                            # Link is a directory so change perms on the directory's contents
+                            changed |= recursive_set_attributes(module, b_fsname, follow, file_args)
+
+                        # Change perms on the file pointed to by the link
+                        tmp_file_args = file_args.copy()
+                        tmp_file_args['path'] = to_native(b_fsname, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
+                        changed |= module.set_fs_attributes_if_different(tmp_file_args, changed, expand=False)
     return changed
 
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
index b01df23e535..f80e138f94f 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
@@ -610,6 +610,9 @@
 - name: create a symlink to the directory
   file: path={{output_dir}}/test_follow_rec/test_link_dir state=link src="../test_follow_rec_target_dir"
 
+- name: create a symlink to a nonexistent file
+  file: path={{output_dir}}/test_follow_rec/nonexistent state=link src=does_not_exist force=True
+
 - name: try to change permissions without following symlinks
   file: path={{output_dir}}/test_follow_rec follow=False mode="a-x" recurse=True