diff --git a/modules/files.nix b/modules/files.nix
index 9efa0a9de..3c4a84b53 100644
--- a/modules/files.nix
+++ b/modules/files.nix
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ in
               local relTarget="$2"
               local executable="$3"
               local recursive="$4"
+              local ignorelinks="$5"
 
               # If the target already exists then we have a collision. Note, this
               # should not happen due to the assertion found in the 'files' module.
@@ -321,7 +322,11 @@ in
               if [[ -d $source ]]; then
                 if [[ $recursive ]]; then
                   mkdir -p "$target"
-                  lndir -silent "$source" "$target"
+                  if [[ $ignorelinks ]]; then
+                    lndir -silent -ignorelinks "$source" "$target"
+                  else
+                    lndir -silent "$source" "$target"
+                  fi
                 else
                   ln -s "$source" "$target"
                 fi
@@ -357,6 +362,7 @@ in
                   v.target
                   (if v.executable == null then "inherit" else toString v.executable)
                   (toString v.recursive)
+                  (toString v.ignorelinks)
                 ]
               }
             '') cfg
diff --git a/modules/lib/file-type.nix b/modules/lib/file-type.nix
index f877c31b2..96e714bb4 100644
--- a/modules/lib/file-type.nix
+++ b/modules/lib/file-type.nix
@@ -102,6 +102,18 @@ in
               '';
             };
 
+            ignorelinks = mkOption {
+              type = types.bool;
+              default = false;
+              description = ''
+                When `recursive` is enabled, adds `-ignorelinks` flag to lndir
+
+                It causes lndir to not treat symbolic links in the source directory specially.
+                The link created in the target directory will point back to the corresponding
+                (symbolic link) file in the source directory. If the link is to a directory
+              '';
+            };
+
             onChange = mkOption {
               type = types.lines;
               default = "";