diff --git a/Lib/test/test_posix.py b/Lib/test/test_posix.py
index c9cbe1541e733e..7fc81c49975ce4 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_posix.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_posix.py
@@ -1521,6 +1521,27 @@ def test_pidfd_open(self):
         self.assertEqual(cm.exception.errno, errno.EINVAL)
         os.close(os.pidfd_open(os.getpid(), 0))
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(
+        hasattr(os, "link") and os.link in os.supports_follow_symlinks,
+        "test needs follow_symlinks support in os.link()"
+    )
+    def test_link_follow_symlinks(self):
+        symlink_fn = os_helper.TESTFN + 'symlink'
+        link_following = os_helper.TESTFN + 'link_following'
+        link_nofollow = os_helper.TESTFN + 'link_nofollow'
+        posix.symlink(os_helper.TESTFN, symlink_fn)
+        self.addCleanup(os_helper.unlink, symlink_fn)
+
+        # follow_symlinks=False -> duplicate the symlink itself
+        posix.link(symlink_fn, link_nofollow, follow_symlinks=False)
+        self.addCleanup(os_helper.unlink, link_nofollow)
+        self.assertEqual(posix.lstat(link_nofollow), posix.lstat(symlink_fn))
+
+        # follow_symlinks=True -> duplicate the target file
+        posix.link(symlink_fn, link_following, follow_symlinks=True)
+        self.addCleanup(os_helper.unlink, link_following)
+        self.assertEqual(posix.lstat(link_following), posix.lstat(os_helper.TESTFN))
+
 
 # tests for the posix *at functions follow
 class TestPosixDirFd(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-07-19-09-57-18.bpo-37612.yjjxx-.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-07-19-09-57-18.bpo-37612.yjjxx-.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..85d2775110ac9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-07-19-09-57-18.bpo-37612.yjjxx-.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+fix os.link() on platforms (like Linux) where the system link() function does not follow symlinks
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Modules/posixmodule.c b/Modules/posixmodule.c
index b7300def8dc75f..99e5d6f382ab36 100644
--- a/Modules/posixmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/posixmodule.c
@@ -4383,31 +4383,41 @@ os_link_impl(PyObject *module, path_t *src, path_t *dst, int src_dir_fd,
 #else
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
 #ifdef HAVE_LINKAT
-    if ((src_dir_fd != DEFAULT_DIR_FD) ||
-        (dst_dir_fd != DEFAULT_DIR_FD) ||
-        (!follow_symlinks)) {
-
-        if (HAVE_LINKAT_RUNTIME) {
-
-            result = linkat(src_dir_fd, src->narrow,
-                dst_dir_fd, dst->narrow,
-                follow_symlinks ? AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW : 0);
-
-        }
+    if (HAVE_LINKAT_RUNTIME) {
+        result = linkat(src_dir_fd, src->narrow,
+            dst_dir_fd, dst->narrow,
+            follow_symlinks ? AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW : 0);
+    }
 #ifdef __APPLE__
-        else {
-            if (src_dir_fd == DEFAULT_DIR_FD && dst_dir_fd == DEFAULT_DIR_FD) {
-                /* See issue 41355: This matches the behaviour of !HAVE_LINKAT */
-                result = link(src->narrow, dst->narrow);
-            } else {
-                linkat_unavailable = 1;
-            }
+    else {
+        if (src_dir_fd == DEFAULT_DIR_FD && dst_dir_fd == DEFAULT_DIR_FD && follow_symlinks) {
+            /* See issue 41355: This matches the behaviour of !HAVE_LINKAT */
+            result = link(src->narrow, dst->narrow);
+        } else {
+            linkat_unavailable = 1;
         }
+    }
 #endif
+
+#else  /* linkat not available */
+/* See issue 41355: link() on Linux works like linkat without AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW,
+   but on Mac it works like linkat *with* AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW. */
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+    if (!follow_symlinks) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_NotImplementedError,
+                    "link: follow_symlinks=False unavailable on this platform");
+        return NULL;
+    } else {
+#else
+    if (follow_symlinks) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_NotImplementedError,
+                    "link: follow_symlinks=True unavailable on this platform");
+        return NULL;
+    } else {
+#endif /* __APPLE__ */
+        result = link(src->narrow, dst->narrow);
     }
-    else
 #endif /* HAVE_LINKAT */
-        result = link(src->narrow, dst->narrow);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LINKAT