diff --git a/attr.c b/attr.c
index 59a8d8af1a..ac8ec7ce51 100644
--- a/attr.c
+++ b/attr.c
@@ -278,6 +278,10 @@ struct match_attr {
 
 static const char blank[] = " \t\r\n";
 
+/* Flags usable in read_attr() and parse_attr_line() family of functions. */
+#define READ_ATTR_MACRO_OK (1<<0)
+#define READ_ATTR_NOFOLLOW (1<<1)
+
 /*
  * Parse a whitespace-delimited attribute state (i.e., "attr",
  * "-attr", "!attr", or "attr=value") from the string starting at src.
@@ -331,7 +335,7 @@ static const char *parse_attr(const char *src, int lineno, const char *cp,
 }
 
 static struct match_attr *parse_attr_line(const char *line, const char *src,
-					  int lineno, int macro_ok)
+					  int lineno, unsigned flags)
 {
 	int namelen;
 	int num_attr, i;
@@ -355,7 +359,7 @@ static struct match_attr *parse_attr_line(const char *line, const char *src,
 
 	if (strlen(ATTRIBUTE_MACRO_PREFIX) < namelen &&
 	    starts_with(name, ATTRIBUTE_MACRO_PREFIX)) {
-		if (!macro_ok) {
+		if (!(flags & READ_ATTR_MACRO_OK)) {
 			fprintf_ln(stderr, _("%s not allowed: %s:%d"),
 				   name, src, lineno);
 			goto fail_return;
@@ -653,11 +657,11 @@ static void handle_attr_line(struct attr_stack *res,
 			     const char *line,
 			     const char *src,
 			     int lineno,
-			     int macro_ok)
+			     unsigned flags)
 {
 	struct match_attr *a;
 
-	a = parse_attr_line(line, src, lineno, macro_ok);
+	a = parse_attr_line(line, src, lineno, flags);
 	if (!a)
 		return;
 	ALLOC_GROW(res->attrs, res->num_matches + 1, res->alloc);
@@ -672,7 +676,8 @@ static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_array(const char **list)
 
 	CALLOC_ARRAY(res, 1);
 	while ((line = *(list++)) != NULL)
-		handle_attr_line(res, line, "[builtin]", ++lineno, 1);
+		handle_attr_line(res, line, "[builtin]", ++lineno,
+				 READ_ATTR_MACRO_OK);
 	return res;
 }
 
@@ -698,21 +703,31 @@ void git_attr_set_direction(enum git_attr_direction new_direction)
 	direction = new_direction;
 }
 
-static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_file(const char *path, int macro_ok)
+static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_file(const char *path, unsigned flags)
 {
-	FILE *fp = fopen_or_warn(path, "r");
+	int fd;
+	FILE *fp;
 	struct attr_stack *res;
 	char buf[2048];
 	int lineno = 0;
 
-	if (!fp)
+	if (flags & READ_ATTR_NOFOLLOW)
+		fd = open_nofollow(path, O_RDONLY);
+	else
+		fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
+
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		warn_on_fopen_errors(path);
 		return NULL;
+	}
+	fp = xfdopen(fd, "r");
+
 	CALLOC_ARRAY(res, 1);
 	while (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), fp)) {
 		char *bufp = buf;
 		if (!lineno)
 			skip_utf8_bom(&bufp, strlen(bufp));
-		handle_attr_line(res, bufp, path, ++lineno, macro_ok);
+		handle_attr_line(res, bufp, path, ++lineno, flags);
 	}
 	fclose(fp);
 	return res;
@@ -720,7 +735,7 @@ static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_file(const char *path, int macro_ok)
 
 static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_index(const struct index_state *istate,
 					       const char *path,
-					       int macro_ok)
+					       unsigned flags)
 {
 	struct attr_stack *res;
 	char *buf, *sp;
@@ -741,7 +756,7 @@ static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_index(const struct index_state *istate,
 		ep = strchrnul(sp, '\n');
 		more = (*ep == '\n');
 		*ep = '\0';
-		handle_attr_line(res, sp, path, ++lineno, macro_ok);
+		handle_attr_line(res, sp, path, ++lineno, flags);
 		sp = ep + more;
 	}
 	free(buf);
@@ -749,19 +764,19 @@ static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_index(const struct index_state *istate,
 }
 
 static struct attr_stack *read_attr(const struct index_state *istate,
-				    const char *path, int macro_ok)
+				    const char *path, unsigned flags)
 {
 	struct attr_stack *res = NULL;
 
 	if (direction == GIT_ATTR_INDEX) {
-		res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, macro_ok);
+		res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, flags);
 	} else if (!is_bare_repository()) {
 		if (direction == GIT_ATTR_CHECKOUT) {
-			res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, macro_ok);
+			res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, flags);
 			if (!res)
-				res = read_attr_from_file(path, macro_ok);
+				res = read_attr_from_file(path, flags);
 		} else if (direction == GIT_ATTR_CHECKIN) {
-			res = read_attr_from_file(path, macro_ok);
+			res = read_attr_from_file(path, flags);
 			if (!res)
 				/*
 				 * There is no checked out .gitattributes file
@@ -769,7 +784,7 @@ static struct attr_stack *read_attr(const struct index_state *istate,
 				 * We allow operation in a sparsely checked out
 				 * work tree, so read from it.
 				 */
-				res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, macro_ok);
+				res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, flags);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -844,6 +859,7 @@ static void bootstrap_attr_stack(const struct index_state *istate,
 				 struct attr_stack **stack)
 {
 	struct attr_stack *e;
+	unsigned flags = READ_ATTR_MACRO_OK;
 
 	if (*stack)
 		return;
@@ -854,23 +870,23 @@ static void bootstrap_attr_stack(const struct index_state *istate,
 
 	/* system-wide frame */
 	if (git_attr_system()) {
-		e = read_attr_from_file(git_etc_gitattributes(), 1);
+		e = read_attr_from_file(git_etc_gitattributes(), flags);
 		push_stack(stack, e, NULL, 0);
 	}
 
 	/* home directory */
 	if (get_home_gitattributes()) {
-		e = read_attr_from_file(get_home_gitattributes(), 1);
+		e = read_attr_from_file(get_home_gitattributes(), flags);
 		push_stack(stack, e, NULL, 0);
 	}
 
 	/* root directory */
-	e = read_attr(istate, GITATTRIBUTES_FILE, 1);
+	e = read_attr(istate, GITATTRIBUTES_FILE, flags | READ_ATTR_NOFOLLOW);
 	push_stack(stack, e, xstrdup(""), 0);
 
 	/* info frame */
 	if (startup_info->have_repository)
-		e = read_attr_from_file(git_path_info_attributes(), 1);
+		e = read_attr_from_file(git_path_info_attributes(), flags);
 	else
 		e = NULL;
 	if (!e)
@@ -956,7 +972,7 @@ static void prepare_attr_stack(const struct index_state *istate,
 		strbuf_add(&pathbuf, path + pathbuf.len, (len - pathbuf.len));
 		strbuf_addf(&pathbuf, "/%s", GITATTRIBUTES_FILE);
 
-		next = read_attr(istate, pathbuf.buf, 0);
+		next = read_attr(istate, pathbuf.buf, READ_ATTR_NOFOLLOW);
 
 		/* reset the pathbuf to not include "/.gitattributes" */
 		strbuf_setlen(&pathbuf, len);
diff --git a/builtin/sparse-checkout.c b/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
index 2306a9ad98..d7da50ada5 100644
--- a/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static int sparse_checkout_list(int argc, const char **argv)
 	pl.use_cone_patterns = core_sparse_checkout_cone;
 
 	sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
-	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL);
+	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL, 0);
 	free(sparse_filename);
 
 	if (res < 0) {
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ static int sparse_checkout_init(int argc, const char **argv)
 	memset(&pl, 0, sizeof(pl));
 
 	sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
-	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL);
+	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL, 0);
 
 	/* If we already have a sparse-checkout file, use it. */
 	if (res >= 0) {
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ static void add_patterns_cone_mode(int argc, const char **argv,
 	existing.use_cone_patterns = core_sparse_checkout_cone;
 
 	if (add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0,
-					   &existing, NULL))
+					   &existing, NULL, 0))
 		die(_("unable to load existing sparse-checkout patterns"));
 	free(sparse_filename);
 
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ static void add_patterns_literal(int argc, const char **argv,
 {
 	char *sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
 	if (add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0,
-					   pl, NULL))
+					   pl, NULL, 0))
 		die(_("unable to load existing sparse-checkout patterns"));
 	free(sparse_filename);
 	add_patterns_from_input(pl, argc, argv);
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index 19c2fa239b..3474e67e8f 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -1035,6 +1035,9 @@ static int add_patterns_from_buffer(char *buf, size_t size,
 				    const char *base, int baselen,
 				    struct pattern_list *pl);
 
+/* Flags for add_patterns() */
+#define PATTERN_NOFOLLOW (1<<0)
+
 /*
  * Given a file with name "fname", read it (either from disk, or from
  * an index if 'istate' is non-null), parse it and store the
@@ -1046,7 +1049,7 @@ static int add_patterns_from_buffer(char *buf, size_t size,
  */
 static int add_patterns(const char *fname, const char *base, int baselen,
 			struct pattern_list *pl, struct index_state *istate,
-			struct oid_stat *oid_stat)
+			unsigned flags, struct oid_stat *oid_stat)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 	int r;
@@ -1054,7 +1057,11 @@ static int add_patterns(const char *fname, const char *base, int baselen,
 	size_t size = 0;
 	char *buf;
 
-	fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
+	if (flags & PATTERN_NOFOLLOW)
+		fd = open_nofollow(fname, O_RDONLY);
+	else
+		fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
+
 	if (fd < 0 || fstat(fd, &st) < 0) {
 		if (fd < 0)
 			warn_on_fopen_errors(fname);
@@ -1143,9 +1150,10 @@ static int add_patterns_from_buffer(char *buf, size_t size,
 
 int add_patterns_from_file_to_list(const char *fname, const char *base,
 				   int baselen, struct pattern_list *pl,
-				   struct index_state *istate)
+				   struct index_state *istate,
+				   unsigned flags)
 {
-	return add_patterns(fname, base, baselen, pl, istate, NULL);
+	return add_patterns(fname, base, baselen, pl, istate, flags, NULL);
 }
 
 int add_patterns_from_blob_to_list(
@@ -1194,7 +1202,7 @@ static void add_patterns_from_file_1(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *fname,
 	if (!dir->untracked)
 		dir->unmanaged_exclude_files++;
 	pl = add_pattern_list(dir, EXC_FILE, fname);
-	if (add_patterns(fname, "", 0, pl, NULL, oid_stat) < 0)
+	if (add_patterns(fname, "", 0, pl, NULL, 0, oid_stat) < 0)
 		die(_("cannot use %s as an exclude file"), fname);
 }
 
@@ -1558,6 +1566,7 @@ static void prep_exclude(struct dir_struct *dir,
 			strbuf_addstr(&sb, dir->exclude_per_dir);
 			pl->src = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
 			add_patterns(pl->src, pl->src, stk->baselen, pl, istate,
+				     PATTERN_NOFOLLOW,
 				     untracked ? &oid_stat : NULL);
 		}
 		/*
@@ -3006,7 +3015,7 @@ int get_sparse_checkout_patterns(struct pattern_list *pl)
 	char *sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
 
 	pl->use_cone_patterns = core_sparse_checkout_cone;
-	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, pl, NULL);
+	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, pl, NULL, 0);
 
 	free(sparse_filename);
 	return res;
diff --git a/dir.h b/dir.h
index facfae4740..04d886cfce 100644
--- a/dir.h
+++ b/dir.h
@@ -420,7 +420,8 @@ int hashmap_contains_parent(struct hashmap *map,
 struct pattern_list *add_pattern_list(struct dir_struct *dir,
 				      int group_type, const char *src);
 int add_patterns_from_file_to_list(const char *fname, const char *base, int baselen,
-				   struct pattern_list *pl, struct  index_state *istate);
+				   struct pattern_list *pl, struct index_state *istate,
+				   unsigned flags);
 void add_patterns_from_file(struct dir_struct *, const char *fname);
 int add_patterns_from_blob_to_list(struct object_id *oid,
 				   const char *base, int baselen,
diff --git a/git-compat-util.h b/git-compat-util.h
index dcc786edaa..9ddf9d7044 100644
--- a/git-compat-util.h
+++ b/git-compat-util.h
@@ -1242,6 +1242,13 @@ int access_or_die(const char *path, int mode, unsigned flag);
 /* Warn on an inaccessible file if errno indicates this is an error */
 int warn_on_fopen_errors(const char *path);
 
+/*
+ * Open with O_NOFOLLOW, or equivalent. Note that the fallback equivalent
+ * may be racy. Do not use this as protection against an attacker who can
+ * simultaneously create paths.
+ */
+int open_nofollow(const char *path, int flags);
+
 #if !defined(USE_PARENS_AROUND_GETTEXT_N) && defined(__GNUC__)
 #define USE_PARENS_AROUND_GETTEXT_N 1
 #endif
diff --git a/mailmap.c b/mailmap.c
index 183a2f65ee..d1f7c0d272 100644
--- a/mailmap.c
+++ b/mailmap.c
@@ -157,20 +157,30 @@ static void read_mailmap_line(struct string_list *map, char *buffer)
 		add_mapping(map, name1, email1, name2, email2);
 }
 
-static int read_mailmap_file(struct string_list *map, const char *filename)
+/* Flags for read_mailmap_file() */
+#define MAILMAP_NOFOLLOW (1<<0)
+
+static int read_mailmap_file(struct string_list *map, const char *filename,
+			     unsigned flags)
 {
 	char buffer[1024];
 	FILE *f;
+	int fd;
 
 	if (!filename)
 		return 0;
 
-	f = fopen(filename, "r");
-	if (!f) {
+	if (flags & MAILMAP_NOFOLLOW)
+		fd = open_nofollow(filename, O_RDONLY);
+	else
+		fd = open(filename, O_RDONLY);
+
+	if (fd < 0) {
 		if (errno == ENOENT)
 			return 0;
 		return error_errno("unable to open mailmap at %s", filename);
 	}
+	f = xfdopen(fd, "r");
 
 	while (fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), f) != NULL)
 		read_mailmap_line(map, buffer);
@@ -226,10 +236,12 @@ int read_mailmap(struct string_list *map)
 		git_mailmap_blob = "HEAD:.mailmap";
 
 	if (!startup_info->have_repository || !is_bare_repository())
-		err |= read_mailmap_file(map, ".mailmap");
+		err |= read_mailmap_file(map, ".mailmap",
+					 startup_info->have_repository ?
+					 MAILMAP_NOFOLLOW : 0);
 	if (startup_info->have_repository)
 		err |= read_mailmap_blob(map, git_mailmap_blob);
-	err |= read_mailmap_file(map, git_mailmap_file);
+	err |= read_mailmap_file(map, git_mailmap_file, 0);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/t/t0003-attributes.sh b/t/t0003-attributes.sh
index b660593c20..1e4c672b84 100755
--- a/t/t0003-attributes.sh
+++ b/t/t0003-attributes.sh
@@ -4,12 +4,16 @@ test_description=gitattributes
 
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
-attr_check () {
+attr_check_basic () {
 	path="$1" expect="$2" git_opts="$3" &&
 
 	git $git_opts check-attr test -- "$path" >actual 2>err &&
 	echo "$path: test: $expect" >expect &&
-	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+}
+
+attr_check () {
+	attr_check_basic "$@" &&
 	test_must_be_empty err
 }
 
@@ -331,7 +335,6 @@ test_expect_success 'binary macro expanded by -a' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
-
 test_expect_success 'query binary macro directly' '
 	echo "file binary" >.gitattributes &&
 	echo file: binary: set >expect &&
@@ -339,4 +342,31 @@ test_expect_success 'query binary macro directly' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'set up symlink tests' '
+	echo "* test" >attr &&
+	rm -f .gitattributes
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks respected in core.attributesFile' '
+	test_when_finished "rm symlink" &&
+	ln -s attr symlink &&
+	test_config core.attributesFile "$(pwd)/symlink" &&
+	attr_check file set
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks respected in info/attributes' '
+	test_when_finished "rm .git/info/attributes" &&
+	ln -s ../../attr .git/info/attributes &&
+	attr_check file set
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks not respected in-tree' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf .gitattributes subdir" &&
+	ln -s attr .gitattributes &&
+	mkdir subdir &&
+	ln -s ../attr subdir/.gitattributes &&
+	attr_check_basic subdir/file unspecified &&
+	test_i18ngrep "unable to access.*gitattributes" err
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t0008-ignores.sh b/t/t0008-ignores.sh
index f7abde62f6..a594b4aa7d 100755
--- a/t/t0008-ignores.sh
+++ b/t/t0008-ignores.sh
@@ -865,4 +865,38 @@ test_expect_success 'info/exclude trumps core.excludesfile' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'set up ignore file for symlink tests' '
+	echo "*" >ignore &&
+	rm -f .gitignore .git/info/exclude
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks respected in core.excludesFile' '
+	test_when_finished "rm symlink" &&
+	ln -s ignore symlink &&
+	test_config core.excludesFile "$(pwd)/symlink" &&
+	echo file >expect &&
+	git check-ignore file >actual 2>err &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	test_must_be_empty err
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks respected in info/exclude' '
+	test_when_finished "rm .git/info/exclude" &&
+	ln -s ../../ignore .git/info/exclude &&
+	echo file >expect &&
+	git check-ignore file >actual 2>err &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	test_must_be_empty err
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks not respected in-tree' '
+	test_when_finished "rm .gitignore" &&
+	ln -s ignore .gitignore &&
+	mkdir subdir &&
+	ln -s ignore subdir/.gitignore &&
+	test_must_fail git check-ignore subdir/file >actual 2>err &&
+	test_must_be_empty actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep "unable to access.*gitignore" err
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t4203-mailmap.sh b/t/t4203-mailmap.sh
index 93caf9a46d..d8e7374234 100755
--- a/t/t4203-mailmap.sh
+++ b/t/t4203-mailmap.sh
@@ -932,4 +932,35 @@ test_expect_success 'find top-level mailmap from subdir' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'set up symlink tests' '
+	git commit --allow-empty -m foo --author="Orig <orig@example.com>" &&
+	echo "New <new@example.com> <orig@example.com>" >map &&
+	rm -f .mailmap
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks respected in mailmap.file' '
+	test_when_finished "rm symlink" &&
+	ln -s map symlink &&
+	git -c mailmap.file="$(pwd)/symlink" log -1 --format=%aE >actual &&
+	echo "new@example.com" >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks respected in non-repo shortlog' '
+	git log -1 >input &&
+	test_when_finished "nongit rm .mailmap" &&
+	nongit ln -sf "$TRASH_DIRECTORY/map" .mailmap &&
+	nongit git shortlog -s <input >actual &&
+	echo "     1	New" >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success SYMLINKS 'symlinks not respected in-tree' '
+	test_when_finished "rm .mailmap" &&
+	ln -s map .mailmap &&
+	git log -1 --format=%aE >actual &&
+	echo "orig@example.com" >expect&&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/wrapper.c b/wrapper.c
index bcda41e374..563ad590df 100644
--- a/wrapper.c
+++ b/wrapper.c
@@ -678,3 +678,19 @@ int is_empty_or_missing_file(const char *filename)
 
 	return !st.st_size;
 }
+
+int open_nofollow(const char *path, int flags)
+{
+#ifdef O_NOFOLLOW
+	return open(path, flags | O_NOFOLLOW);
+#else
+	struct stat st;
+	if (lstat(path, &st) < 0)
+		return -1;
+	if (S_ISLNK(st.st_mode)) {
+		errno = ELOOP;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return open(path, flags);
+#endif
+}