diff --git a/src/libfetchers/git-accessor.cc b/src/libfetchers/git-accessor.cc
index 68a2de8f8..58971660a 100644
--- a/src/libfetchers/git-accessor.cc
+++ b/src/libfetchers/git-accessor.cc
@@ -74,15 +74,20 @@ struct GitInputAccessor : InputAccessor
         }
     }
 
-    std::string readFile(const CanonPath & path) override
+    std::string readBlob(const CanonPath & path, bool symlink)
     {
-        auto blob = getBlob(path);
+        auto blob = getBlob(path, symlink);
 
         auto data = std::string_view((const char *) git_blob_rawcontent(blob.get()), git_blob_rawsize(blob.get()));
 
         return std::string(data);
     }
 
+    std::string readFile(const CanonPath & path) override
+    {
+        return readBlob(path, false);
+    }
+
     bool pathExists(const CanonPath & path) override
     {
         return path.isRoot() ? true : (bool) lookup(path);
@@ -142,7 +147,7 @@ struct GitInputAccessor : InputAccessor
 
     std::string readLink(const CanonPath & path) override
     {
-        throw UnimplementedError("GitInputAccessor::readLink");
+        return readBlob(path, true);
     }
 
     std::map<CanonPath, TreeEntry> lookupCache;
@@ -200,23 +205,36 @@ struct GitInputAccessor : InputAccessor
         return Tree(tree);
     }
 
-    Blob getBlob(const CanonPath & path)
+    Blob getBlob(const CanonPath & path, bool expectSymlink)
     {
-        auto notRegular = [&]()
+        auto notExpected = [&]()
         {
-            throw Error("'%s' is not a regular file", showPath(path));
+            throw Error(
+                expectSymlink
+                ? "'%s' is not a symlink"
+                : "'%s' is not a regular file",
+                showPath(path));
         };
 
-        if (path.isRoot()) notRegular();
+        if (path.isRoot()) notExpected();
 
         auto entry = need(path);
 
         if (git_tree_entry_type(entry) != GIT_OBJECT_BLOB)
-            notRegular();
+            notExpected();
+
+        auto mode = git_tree_entry_filemode(entry);
+        if (expectSymlink) {
+            if (mode != GIT_FILEMODE_LINK)
+                notExpected();
+        } else {
+            if (mode != GIT_FILEMODE_BLOB && mode != GIT_FILEMODE_BLOB_EXECUTABLE)
+                notExpected();
+        }
 
         git_blob * blob = nullptr;
         if (git_tree_entry_to_object((git_object * *) &blob, repo.get(), entry))
-            throw Error("looking up regular file '%s': %s", showPath(path), git_error_last()->message);
+            throw Error("looking up file '%s': %s", showPath(path), git_error_last()->message);
 
         return Blob(blob);
     }
diff --git a/tests/flakes/flakes.sh b/tests/flakes/flakes.sh
index a7525f894..290d7bd7c 100644
--- a/tests/flakes/flakes.sh
+++ b/tests/flakes/flakes.sh
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ EOF
 git -C $flake2Dir add flake.nix
 git -C $flake2Dir commit -m 'Initial'
 
-cat > $flake3Dir/flake.nix <<EOF
+# Test symlink handling.
+ln -s _flake.nix $flake3Dir/flake.nix
+cat > $flake3Dir/_flake.nix <<EOF
 {
   description = "Fnord";
 
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ cat > $flake3Dir/default.nix <<EOF
 { x = 123; }
 EOF
 
-git -C $flake3Dir add flake.nix default.nix
+git -C $flake3Dir add flake.nix _flake.nix default.nix
 git -C $flake3Dir commit -m 'Initial'
 
 cat > $nonFlakeDir/README.md <<EOF
@@ -166,7 +168,7 @@ nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --no-registries git+file://$flake2Dir#bar --refre
 nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --no-use-registries git+file://$flake2Dir#bar --refresh
 
 # Test whether indirect dependencies work.
-nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result $flake3Dir#xyzzy
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result git+file://$flake3Dir?ref=master#xyzzy
 git -C $flake3Dir add flake.lock
 
 # Add dependency to flake3.