diff --git a/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_link.c b/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_link.c
index 10dd9867fa..2cd2c96917 100644
--- a/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_link.c
+++ b/src/afs/VNOPS/afs_vnop_link.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ afs_link(avc, OSI_VC_ARG(adp), aname, acred)
     afs_size_t offset, len;
     struct AFSFetchStatus OutFidStatus, OutDirStatus;
     struct AFSVolSync tsync;
+    struct afs_fakestat_state vfakestate, dfakestate;
     XSTATS_DECLS
     OSI_VC_CONVERT(adp)
 
@@ -66,6 +67,13 @@ afs_link(avc, OSI_VC_ARG(adp), aname, acred)
     if (code = afs_InitReq(&treq, acred)) 
 	goto done2;
 
+    afs_InitFakeStat(&vfakestate);
+    afs_InitFakeStat(&dfakestate);
+    code = afs_EvalFakeStat(&avc, &vfakestate, &treq);
+    if (code) goto done;
+    code = afs_EvalFakeStat(&adp, &dfakestate, &treq);
+    if (code) goto done;
+
     if (avc->fid.Cell != adp->fid.Cell || avc->fid.Fid.Volume != adp->fid.Fid.Volume) {
 	code = EXDEV;
 	goto done;
@@ -153,6 +161,8 @@ afs_link(avc, OSI_VC_ARG(adp), aname, acred)
     code = 0;
 done:
     code = afs_CheckCode(code, &treq, 24);
+    afs_PutFakeStat(&vfakestate);
+    afs_PutFakeStat(&dfakestate);
 done2:
 #ifdef	AFS_OSF_ENV
     afs_PutVCache(adp, WRITE_LOCK);