diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog b/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
index 26291f0d8..8a2111bed 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2009-12-24  Corinna Vinschen  <corinna@vinschen.de>
+
+	* path.cc (symlink_info::check): Set fileattr to
+	FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY in a certain error condition.  Explain why.
+
 2009-12-22  Christopher Faylor  <me+cygwin@cgf.cx>
 
 	* select.cc (fhandler_fifo::select_read): Fill in device specific
diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/path.cc b/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
index bd3463d88..559c87339 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
@@ -2327,7 +2327,12 @@ symlink_info::check (char *path, const suffix_info *suffixes, unsigned opt,
 	      if (!NT_SUCCESS (status))
 		{
 		  debug_printf ("%p = NtOpenFile(%S)", status, &dirname);
-		  fileattr = 0;
+		  /* There's a special case if the file is itself the root
+		     of a drive which is not accessible by the current user.
+		     This case is only recognized by the length of the
+		     basename part.  If it's 0, the incoming file is the
+		     root of a drive.  So we at least know it's a directory. */
+		  fileattr = basename.Length ? 0 : FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY;
 		}
 	      else
 		{