diff --git a/qmake/option.cpp b/qmake/option.cpp
index 52f9cb8a0e1..4da2a1ae2c9 100644
--- a/qmake/option.cpp
+++ b/qmake/option.cpp
@@ -462,7 +462,9 @@ Option::init(int argc, char **argv)
 
 void Option::prepareProject(const QString &pfile)
 {
-    QString srcpath = QDir::cleanPath(QFileInfo(pfile).absolutePath());
+    // Canonicalize only the directory, otherwise things will go haywire
+    // if the file itself is a symbolic link.
+    const QString srcpath = QFileInfo(QFileInfo(pfile).absolutePath()).canonicalFilePath();
     globals->setDirectories(srcpath, output_dir);
 }