diff --git a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
index 7381bb1d92..8d50f19d44 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
@@ -1286,7 +1286,9 @@ def dir_contains_files(path, recursive=True):
     :recursive If False only the path itself is considered, else all subdirectories are also searched
     """
     if recursive:
-        return any(files for _root, _dirs, files in os.walk(path))
+        return any(os.path.isfile(os.path.join(root, file))
+                   for root, _dirs, files in os.walk(path, followlinks=True)
+                   for file in files)
     else:
         return any(os.path.isfile(os.path.join(path, x)) for x in os.listdir(path))
 
diff --git a/test/framework/filetools.py b/test/framework/filetools.py
index e7ce260afc..36d530d3da 100644
--- a/test/framework/filetools.py
+++ b/test/framework/filetools.py
@@ -2983,6 +2983,42 @@ def makedirs_in_test(*paths):
         self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_dir_and_file))
         self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_dir_and_file, recursive=False))
 
+        # Folder that is a symlink or contains a symlink to a folder
+        symlink_dir = makedirs_in_test('symlink_dir')
+        symlink_empty_folder = os.path.join(symlink_dir, 'to_empty')
+        ft.symlink(empty_dir, symlink_empty_folder)
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_dir))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_dir, recursive=False))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_empty_folder))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_empty_folder, recursive=False))
+        symlink_full_folder = os.path.join(symlink_dir, 'to_full')
+        ft.symlink(dir_w_file, symlink_full_folder)
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_dir))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_dir, recursive=False))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_full_folder))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(symlink_full_folder, recursive=False))
+
+        dir_w_symlinked_file = makedirs_in_test('dir_w_symlinked_file')
+        ft.symlink(os.path.join(dir_w_file, 'file.h'), os.path.join(dir_w_symlinked_file, 'file.h'))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_symlinked_file))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_symlinked_file, recursive=False))
+
+        dir_w_symlinked_file_in_subdir = makedirs_in_test('dir_w_symlinked_file_in_subdir', 'subdir')
+        subdir = os.path.join(dir_w_symlinked_file_in_subdir, 'subdir')
+        ft.symlink(os.path.join(dir_w_file, 'file.h'),
+                   os.path.join(subdir, 'file.h'))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_symlinked_file_in_subdir))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_symlinked_file_in_subdir, recursive=False))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(subdir))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.dir_contains_files(subdir, recursive=False))
+
+        # Broken symlink is not considered a file
+        ft.remove_file(os.path.join(dir_w_file, 'file.h'))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_symlinked_file_in_subdir))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(dir_w_symlinked_file_in_subdir, recursive=False))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(subdir))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.dir_contains_files(subdir, recursive=False))
+
     def test_find_eb_script(self):
         """Test find_eb_script function."""