diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/path.cc b/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
index 7d1d23d72..21cfdc33e 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
@@ -2261,6 +2261,50 @@ symlink_info::check_sysfile (HANDLE h)
   return res;
 }
 
+static bool
+is_absolute_reparse_target_posix_symlink_compatible (const wchar_t* path, size_t len)
+{
+  /* Native junction reparse points, or native non-relative
+     symbolic links, can be treated as posix symlinks only
+     if the SubstituteName can be converted from a native NT
+     object namespace name to a win32 name. We only know how
+     to convert names with two prefixes :
+       "\??\UNC\..."
+       "\??\X:..."
+     Other reparse points will be treated as files or
+     directories, not as posix symlinks. Possible values
+     include:
+       "\??\Volume{..."
+       "\Device\HarddiskVolume1\..."
+       "\Device\Lanman\...\..."
+     */
+  wchar_t d;
+  if (len >= 6 &&
+      path[0] == '\\' &&
+      path[1] == '?' &&
+      path[2] == '?' &&
+      path[3] == '\\')
+    {
+      if (path[5] == ':' && (len == 6 || path[6] == '\\'))
+        {
+          d = path[4];
+          if ((d >= 'a' && d <= 'z') || (d >= 'A' && d <= 'Z'))
+            {
+              return true;
+            }
+        }
+      else if (len > 7 &&
+          ((d = path[4]) == 'u' || d == 'U') &&
+          ((d = path[5]) == 'n' || d == 'N') &&
+          ((d = path[6]) == 'c' || d == 'C') &&
+          path[7] == '\\')
+        {
+          return true;
+        }
+    }
+  return false;
+}
+
 int
 symlink_info::check_reparse_point (HANDLE h, bool remote)
 {
@@ -2299,14 +2343,27 @@ symlink_info::check_reparse_point (HANDLE h, bool remote)
       return 0;
     }
   if (rp->ReparseTag == IO_REPARSE_TAG_SYMLINK)
-    /* Windows evaluates native symlink literally.  If a remote symlink points
-       to, say, C:\foo, it will be handled as if the target is the local file
-       C:\foo.  That comes in handy since that's how symlinks are treated under
-       POSIX as well. */
-    RtlInitCountedUnicodeString (&subst,
+    {
+      /* Windows evaluates native symlink literally.  If a remote symlink
+         points to, say, C:\foo, it will be handled as if the target is the
+         local file C:\foo.  That comes in handy since that's how symlinks
+         are treated under POSIX as well. */
+      RtlInitCountedUnicodeString (&subst,
 		  (WCHAR *)((char *)rp->SymbolicLinkReparseBuffer.PathBuffer
 			+ rp->SymbolicLinkReparseBuffer.SubstituteNameOffset),
 		  rp->SymbolicLinkReparseBuffer.SubstituteNameLength);
+      if (!(rp->SymbolicLinkReparseBuffer.Flags & SYMLINK_FLAG_RELATIVE) &&
+          !is_absolute_reparse_target_posix_symlink_compatible(
+              subst.Buffer, subst.Length/sizeof(WCHAR)))
+        {
+          /* The absolute native symbolic link target does not
+             have a prefix we understand, so can not generate a
+             useful value to return from readlink(). Treat as a
+             normal file or directory. */
+          fileattr &= ~FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT;
+          return 0;
+        }
+    }
   else if (!remote && rp->ReparseTag == IO_REPARSE_TAG_MOUNT_POINT)
     {
       /* Don't handle junctions on remote filesystems as symlinks.  This type
@@ -2325,6 +2382,15 @@ symlink_info::check_reparse_point (HANDLE h, bool remote)
 	     volume mount point. */
 	  return -1;
 	}
+      else if (!is_absolute_reparse_target_posix_symlink_compatible(
+          subst.Buffer, subst.Length/sizeof(WCHAR)))
+        {
+          /* The junction target does not have a prefix we
+             understand, so can not generate a useful value to
+             return from readlink(). Treat as a normal directory. */
+          fileattr &= ~FILE_ATTRIBUTE_REPARSE_POINT;
+          return 0;
+        }
     }
   else
     {
@@ -2397,6 +2463,17 @@ symlink_info::posixify (char *srcbuf)
      The above rules are used exactly the same way on Cygwin specific symlinks
      (sysfiles and shortcuts) to eliminate non-POSIX paths in the output. */
 
+  /* The following logic should use the relative flag from native NT symbolic
+     link reparse data. This logic functions without the flag because it makes
+     the following assumptions:
+     1) Relative symlink targets never start with "\??\".
+     2) Absolute symlink and junction targets always start with "\??\".
+     The first assumption, though arguably wrong, is unlikely to cause
+     issues since '?' characters are illegal on windows file systems.
+     The second assumption is incorrect and would cause compatibility
+     issues, but code in check_reparse_point() above makes sure the non-
+     conformers do not make it here. */
+
   /* Eliminate native NT prefixes. */
   if (srcbuf[0] == '\\' && !strncmp (srcbuf + 1, "??\\", 3))
     {