From 14c708634efec514463bb495d9648c78828ee198 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Evgeni Chasnovski <evgeni.chasnovski@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 12:02:54 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] fix(vim.fs): make `rm()` work with symlink to a directory

---
 runtime/doc/lua.txt             |  4 +++-
 runtime/lua/vim/fs.lua          |  5 +++--
 test/functional/lua/fs_spec.lua | 38 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 44 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/runtime/doc/lua.txt b/runtime/doc/lua.txt
index 0aebcaf98b..a71334eab7 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/lua.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/lua.txt
@@ -2696,7 +2696,9 @@ vim.fs.rm({path}, {opts})                                        *vim.fs.rm()*
         Since: 0.11.0
 
     Parameters: ~
-      • {path}  (`string`) Path to remove
+      • {path}  (`string`) Path to remove. Removes symlinks without touching
+                the origin. To remove the origin, resolve explicitly with
+                |uv.fs_realpath()|.
       • {opts}  (`table?`) A table with the following fields:
                 • {recursive}? (`boolean`) Remove directories and their
                   contents recursively
diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/fs.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/fs.lua
index 0deacc536c..9b57ca2790 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/fs.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/fs.lua
@@ -735,12 +735,13 @@ end
 
 --- Remove files or directories
 --- @since 13
---- @param path string Path to remove
+--- @param path string Path to remove. Removes symlinks without touching the origin.
+---To remove the origin, resolve explicitly with |uv.fs_realpath()|.
 --- @param opts? vim.fs.rm.Opts
 function M.rm(path, opts)
   opts = opts or {}
 
-  local stat, err, errnm = uv.fs_stat(path)
+  local stat, err, errnm = uv.fs_lstat(path)
   if stat then
     rm(path, stat.type, opts.recursive, opts.force)
   elseif not opts.force or errnm ~= 'ENOENT' then
diff --git a/test/functional/lua/fs_spec.lua b/test/functional/lua/fs_spec.lua
index ca04f8edec..8c826a211d 100644
--- a/test/functional/lua/fs_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/lua/fs_spec.lua
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ local rmdir = n.rmdir
 local nvim_dir = n.nvim_dir
 local command = n.command
 local api = n.api
+local fn = n.fn
 local test_build_dir = t.paths.test_build_dir
 local test_source_path = t.paths.test_source_path
 local nvim_prog = n.nvim_prog
@@ -714,4 +715,41 @@ describe('vim.fs', function()
       end
     end)
   end)
+
+  describe('rm()', function()
+    before_each(function()
+      t.mkdir('Xtest_fs-rm')
+      t.write_file('Xtest_fs-rm/file-to-link', 'File to link')
+      t.mkdir('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-to-link')
+      t.write_file('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-to-link/file', 'File in dir to link')
+    end)
+
+    after_each(function()
+      vim.uv.fs_unlink('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-to-link/file')
+      vim.uv.fs_rmdir('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-to-link')
+      vim.uv.fs_unlink('Xtest_fs-rm/file-to-link')
+      vim.uv.fs_rmdir('Xtest_fs-rm')
+    end)
+
+    it('works with symlink', function()
+      -- File
+      vim.uv.fs_symlink('Xtest_fs-rm/file-to-link', 'Xtest_fs-rm/file-as-link')
+      vim.fs.rm('Xtest_fs-rm/file-as-link')
+      eq(vim.uv.fs_stat('Xtest_fs-rm/file-as-link'), nil)
+      eq({ 'File to link' }, fn.readfile('Xtest_fs-rm/file-to-link'))
+
+      -- Directory
+      local function assert_rm_symlinked_dir(opts)
+        vim.uv.fs_symlink('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-to-link', 'Xtest_fs-rm/dir-as-link')
+        vim.fs.rm('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-as-link', opts)
+        eq(vim.uv.fs_stat('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-as-link'), nil)
+        eq({ 'File in dir to link' }, fn.readfile('Xtest_fs-rm/dir-to-link/file'))
+      end
+
+      assert_rm_symlinked_dir({})
+      assert_rm_symlinked_dir({ force = true })
+      assert_rm_symlinked_dir({ recursive = true })
+      assert_rm_symlinked_dir({ recursive = true, force = true })
+    end)
+  end)
 end)