diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b3f97ba2..a9400a45 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -62,6 +62,16 @@ AM_MAINTAINER_MODE([enable])
 
 AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])
 
+dnl By default, the tar command used by 'make dist and make distcheck'
+dnl is "tar --format=ustar -chf" where the "-h" option actually
+dnl follows symbolic links. So it copies the targets of the symlinks
+dnl that are present in the tarball.  Unfortunately, there are
+dnl tests that need to keep the symlinks intact in the tarball.
+dnl
+dnl So let's define a tar command without the -h option.
+
+am__tar='tar --format=ustar -cf - "$$tardir"'
+
 VERSION_MAJOR=version_major
 VERSION_MINOR=version_minor
 VERSION_REVISION=0
@@ -518,6 +528,13 @@ fi
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_RPM, test x$ENABLE_RPM = xyes)
 
+dnl There is a test that needs symlinks support in the distribution tarball.  If symlinks are
+dnl removed from the tarball, then the test should be disabled.
+m4_define([symlink_file], [tests/data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1/dir1/symlinks/foo.o])
+if test -L "$srcdir"/symlink_file; then
+   AC_DEFINE([WITH_SYMLINKS_KEPT_IN_DIST], 1, [symbolic links are kept in the distribution tarball])
+fi
+
 dnl enable the debugging of self comparison when doing abidw --debug-abidiff <binary>
 if test x$ENABLE_DEBUG_SELF_COMPARISON = xyes; then
   AC_DEFINE([WITH_DEBUG_SELF_COMPARISON], 1, [compile support of debugging abidw --abidiff])
diff --git a/tests/test-diff-pkg.cc b/tests/test-diff-pkg.cc
index fbfa50d3..020a1f30 100644
--- a/tests/test-diff-pkg.cc
+++ b/tests/test-diff-pkg.cc
@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ static InOutSpec in_out_specs[] =
     "output/test-diff-pkg/dirpkg-3-report-2.txt"
   },
   {
-    "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1/dir1",
-    "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1/dir2",
+    "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1/dir1/targets",
+    "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1/dir2/targets",
     "--no-default-suppression ",
     "",
     "",
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ static InOutSpec in_out_specs[] =
     "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1-report0.txt",
     "output/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1-report0.txt"
   },
+#ifdef WITH_SYMLINKS_KEPT_IN_DIST
   {
     "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1/dir1/symlinks",
     "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1/dir2/symlinks",
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ static InOutSpec in_out_specs[] =
     "data/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1-report1.txt",
     "output/test-diff-pkg/symlink-dir-test1-report1.txt"
   },
+#endif
 #if WITH_TAR
   {
     "data/test-diff-pkg/tarpkg-0-dir1.tar",
@@ -877,8 +879,8 @@ static InOutSpec in_out_specs[] =
     "output/test-diff-pkg-ctf/dirpkg-3-report-2.txt"
   },
   {
-    "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1/dir1",
-    "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1/dir2",
+    "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1/dir1/targets",
+    "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1/dir2/targets",
     "--ctf --no-default-suppression ",
     "",
     "",
@@ -888,6 +890,7 @@ static InOutSpec in_out_specs[] =
     "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1-report0.txt",
     "output/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1-report0.txt"
   },
+#ifdef WITH_SYMLINKS_KEPT_IN_DIST
   {
     "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1/dir1/symlinks",
     "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1/dir2/symlinks",
@@ -900,6 +903,7 @@ static InOutSpec in_out_specs[] =
     "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1-report1.txt",
     "output/test-diff-pkg-ctf/symlink-dir-test1-report1.txt"
   },
+#endif
 #if WITH_TAR
   {
     "data/test-diff-pkg-ctf/tarpkg-0-dir1.tar",