diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index 5985288ecd..086242d80a 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -788,8 +788,10 @@ static int add_excludes(const char *fname, const char *base, int baselen,
 			fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
 			if (fd < 0)
 				warn_on_fopen_errors(fname);
-			if (S_ISLNK(st.st_mode))
-				fstat(fd, &st);
+			if (S_ISLNK(st.st_mode) && fstat(fd, &st) < 0) {
+				warn_on_fopen_errors(fname);
+				fd = -1;
+			}
 		}
 	} else {
 		fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);