diff --git a/gix-worktree-state/tests/fixtures/make_dir_symlink.sh b/gix-worktree-state/tests/fixtures/make_dir_symlink.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..e0acd233ab3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gix-worktree-state/tests/fixtures/make_dir_symlink.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -eu -o pipefail
+
+git init -q
+
+target_oid=$(echo -n "." | git hash-object -w --stdin)
+
+git update-index --index-info <<EOF
+120000 $target_oid	symlink
+EOF
+
+git commit -m "symlink in index, points to directory"
diff --git a/gix-worktree-state/tests/state/checkout.rs b/gix-worktree-state/tests/state/checkout.rs
index fad58bf6b65..be6b745c373 100644
--- a/gix-worktree-state/tests/state/checkout.rs
+++ b/gix-worktree-state/tests/state/checkout.rs
@@ -267,6 +267,34 @@ fn symlinks_become_files_if_disabled() -> crate::Result {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn symlinks_to_directories_are_usable() -> crate::Result {
+    let opts = opts_from_probe();
+    if !opts.fs.symlink {
+        eprintln!("Skipping directory symlink test on filesystem that doesn't support it");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let (_source_tree, destination, _index, outcome) =
+        checkout_index_in_tmp_dir(opts.clone(), "make_dir_symlink", None)?;
+    let worktree_files = dir_structure(&destination);
+    let worktree_files_stripped = stripped_prefix(&destination, &worktree_files);
+
+    assert_eq!(worktree_files_stripped, paths(["symlink"]));
+    let symlink_path = &worktree_files[0];
+    assert!(symlink_path
+        .symlink_metadata()
+        .expect("symlink is on disk")
+        .is_symlink());
+    assert!(symlink_path
+        .metadata()
+        .expect("metadata accessible through symlink")
+        .is_dir());
+    assert_eq!(std::fs::read_link(symlink_path)?, Path::new("."));
+    assert!(outcome.collisions.is_empty());
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn dangling_symlinks_can_be_created() -> crate::Result {
     let opts = opts_from_probe();