diff --git a/vlib/os/find_abs_path_of_executable_test.v b/vlib/os/find_abs_path_of_executable_test.v
index 641b57ae78..c2f1757c7e 100644
--- a/vlib/os/find_abs_path_of_executable_test.v
+++ b/vlib/os/find_abs_path_of_executable_test.v
@@ -1,47 +1,87 @@
 import os
 
-fn test_find_abs_path_of_executable() {
-	tfolder := os.join_path(os.vtmp_dir(), 'filepath_tests')
+const tfolder = os.join_path(os.real_path(os.vtmp_dir()), 'filepath_tests')
+const original_path = os.getenv('PATH')
+
+fn testsuite_begin() {
+	eprintln('testsuite_begin, tfolder = ${tfolder}')
 	os.rmdir_all(tfolder) or {}
-	assert !os.is_dir(tfolder)
-	os.mkdir_all(tfolder)!
-	defer {
-		os.rmdir_all(tfolder) or {}
-	}
+	os.mkdir_all(tfolder) or { panic(err) }
+	os.chdir(tfolder) or { panic(err) }
+}
 
-	original_path := os.getenv('PATH')
-	original_wdir := os.getwd()
-	defer {
-		os.chdir(original_wdir) or {}
-	}
+fn testsuite_end() {
+	os.chdir(os.wd_at_startup) or {}
+	os.rmdir_all(tfolder) or {}
+}
 
-	new_path := tfolder + os.path_delimiter + original_path
-	os.setenv('PATH', new_path, true)
+fn test_find_abs_path_of_executable() {
+	exefolder := os.join_path(tfolder, 'exe')
+	os.mkdir(exefolder) or { panic(err) }
 
-	mut myclang_file := 'myclang'
+	mut myclang_file := os.join_path(exefolder, 'myclang')
 	$if windows {
 		myclang_file += '.bat'
 	}
 
-	os.chdir(tfolder)!
+	mut mylink_file := os.join_path(tfolder, 'mylink')
+	$if windows {
+		mylink_file += '.bat'
+	}
+
 	os.write_file(myclang_file, 'echo hello')!
 	os.chmod(myclang_file, 0o0777)!
+	dump(os.abs_path(myclang_file))
 	dump(os.real_path(myclang_file))
 	dump(os.is_executable(myclang_file))
-	defer {
-		os.rm(myclang_file) or {}
+
+	$if windows {
+		eprintln('Windows requires admin privileges in order to create symlinks, related tests will be faked.')
+		os.cp(myclang_file, mylink_file) or { panic(err) }
+	} $else {
+		os.symlink(myclang_file, mylink_file) or { panic(err) }
 	}
 
-	fpath := os.find_abs_path_of_executable('myclang') or {
-		assert false
-		return
-	}
-	dump(fpath)
+	dump(os.abs_path(mylink_file))
+	dump(os.real_path(mylink_file))
+	dump(os.is_executable(mylink_file))
 
-	os.setenv('PATH', original_path, true)
-	os.chdir(os.home_dir())! // change to a *completely* different folder, to avoid the original PATH containing `.`
-	if x := os.find_abs_path_of_executable('myclang') {
-		eprintln('> find_abs_path_of_executable should have failed, but instead it found: ${x}')
-		assert false
-	}
+	prepend_to_original_path(exefolder)
+	assert find_and_check('myclang')? == myclang_file
+	assert find_and_check('mylink') == none
+
+	prepend_to_original_path('.')
+	assert find_and_check('mylink')? == mylink_file
+	assert find_and_check('myclang') == none
+
+	os.chdir(exefolder) or { panic(err) }
+	assert find_and_check('myclang')? == myclang_file
+	assert find_and_check('mylink') == none
+
+	prepend_to_original_path(tfolder)
+	assert find_and_check('mylink')? == mylink_file
+	assert find_and_check('myclang') == none
+
+	restore_original_path()
+	os.chdir(os.home_dir())! // Change to a *completely* different folder, just in case the original PATH contains `.`
+	assert find_and_check('myclang') == none
+	assert find_and_check('mylink') == none
+}
+
+fn find_and_check(executable string) ?string {
+	fpath := os.find_abs_path_of_executable(executable) or { return none }
+
+	dump(fpath)
+	assert os.is_abs_path(fpath)
+
+	return fpath
+}
+
+fn restore_original_path() {
+	os.setenv('PATH', original_path, true)
+}
+
+fn prepend_to_original_path(to_prepend string) {
+	new_path := to_prepend + os.path_delimiter + original_path
+	os.setenv('PATH', new_path, true)
 }
diff --git a/vlib/os/os.v b/vlib/os/os.v
index 29bb90df7a..75ddf3d7b0 100644
--- a/vlib/os/os.v
+++ b/vlib/os/os.v
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ pub fn find_abs_path_of_executable(exe_name string) !string {
 	for suffix in executable_suffixes {
 		fexepath := exe_name + suffix
 		if is_abs_path(fexepath) {
-			return real_path(fexepath)
+			return fexepath
 		}
 		mut res := ''
 		path := getenv('PATH')
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ pub fn find_abs_path_of_executable(exe_name string) !string {
 			}
 		}
 		if res.len > 0 {
-			return real_path(res)
+			return abs_path(res)
 		}
 	}
 	return error_failed_to_find_executable()