diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
index b963cfd7d3e..52f05d14b4a 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
@@ -283,33 +283,46 @@ function M.load_project_status(path)
   end
 end
 
+---Git file and directory status for an absolute path with optional file fallback
 ---@param parent_ignored boolean
 ---@param status table|nil
----@param absolute_path string
+---@param path string
+---@param path_file string? alternative file path when no other file status
 ---@return GitStatus|nil
-function M.git_status_dir(parent_ignored, status, absolute_path)
+function M.git_status_dir(parent_ignored, status, path, path_file)
   if parent_ignored then
     return { file = "!!" }
   end
 
   if status then
     return {
-      file = status.files and status.files[absolute_path],
+      file = status.files and status.files[path] or path_file and status.files[path_file],
       dir = status.dirs and {
-        direct = status.dirs.direct[absolute_path],
-        indirect = status.dirs.indirect[absolute_path],
+        direct = status.dirs.direct[path],
+        indirect = status.dirs.indirect[path],
       },
     }
   end
 end
 
+---Git file status for an absolute path with optional fallback
 ---@param parent_ignored boolean
 ---@param status table|nil
----@param absolute_path string
+---@param path string
+---@param path_fallback string?
 ---@return GitStatus
-function M.git_status_file(parent_ignored, status, absolute_path)
-  local file_status = parent_ignored and "!!" or (status and status.files and status.files[absolute_path])
-  return { file = file_status }
+function M.git_status_file(parent_ignored, status, path, path_fallback)
+  if parent_ignored then
+    return { file = "!!" }
+  end
+
+  if not status or not status.files then
+    return {}
+  end
+
+  return {
+    file = status.files[path] or status.files[path_fallback]
+  }
 end
 
 function M.purge_state()
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua
index 8e796b9e6c8..ad8f34cf175 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua
@@ -21,6 +21,25 @@ function M.raw(typ, fmt, ...)
   end
 end
 
+--- Write to a new file
+---@param typ string as per log.types config
+---@param path string absolute path
+---@param fmt string for string.format
+---@param ... any arguments for string.format
+function M.file(typ, path, fmt, ...)
+  if not M.enabled(typ) then
+    return
+  end
+
+  local line = string.format(fmt, ...)
+  local file = io.open(path, "w")
+  if file then
+    io.output(file)
+    io.write(line)
+    io.close(file)
+  end
+end
+
 ---@class Profile
 ---@field start number nanos
 ---@field tag string
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory-link.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory-link.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c8759541e22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory-link.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+local git = require("nvim-tree.git")
+
+local DirectoryNode = require("nvim-tree.node.directory")
+
+---@class (exact) DirectoryLinkNode: DirectoryNode
+---@field link_to string absolute path
+---@field fs_stat_target uv.fs_stat.result
+local DirectoryLinkNode = DirectoryNode:new()
+
+---Static factory method
+---@param explorer Explorer
+---@param parent Node
+---@param absolute_path string
+---@param link_to string
+---@param name string
+---@param fs_stat uv.fs_stat.result?
+---@param fs_stat_target uv.fs_stat.result
+---@return DirectoryLinkNode? nil on vim.loop.fs_realpath failure
+function DirectoryLinkNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, link_to, name, fs_stat, fs_stat_target)
+  -- create DirectoryNode with the target path for the watcher
+  local o = DirectoryNode:create(explorer, parent, link_to, name, fs_stat)
+
+  o = self:new(o) --[[@as DirectoryLinkNode]]
+
+  -- reset absolute path to the link itself
+  o.absolute_path = absolute_path
+
+  o.type = "link"
+  o.link_to = link_to
+  o.fs_stat_target = fs_stat_target
+
+  return o
+end
+
+-----Update the directory GitStatus of link target and the file status of the link itself
+-----@param parent_ignored boolean
+-----@param status table|nil
+function DirectoryLinkNode:update_git_status(parent_ignored, status)
+  self.git_status = git.git_status_dir(parent_ignored, status, self.link_to, self.absolute_path)
+end
+
+---Create a sanitized partial copy of a node, populating children recursively.
+---@return DirectoryLinkNode cloned
+function DirectoryLinkNode:clone()
+  local clone = DirectoryNode.clone(self) --[[@as DirectoryLinkNode]]
+
+  clone.type = self.type
+  clone.link_to = self.link_to
+  clone.fs_stat_target = self.fs_stat_target
+
+  return clone
+end
+
+return DirectoryLinkNode
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory.lua
index 050d3e35b8f..4bb216b7518 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/directory.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+local git = require("nvim-tree.git")
 local watch = require("nvim-tree.explorer.watch")
 
 local BaseNode = require("nvim-tree.node")
@@ -58,6 +59,63 @@ function DirectoryNode:destroy()
   end
 end
 
+---Update the GitStatus of the directory
+---@param parent_ignored boolean
+---@param status table|nil
+function DirectoryNode:update_git_status(parent_ignored, status)
+  self.git_status = git.git_status_dir(parent_ignored, status, self.absolute_path, nil)
+end
+
+---@return GitStatus|nil
+function DirectoryNode:get_git_status()
+  if not self.git_status or not self.explorer.opts.git.show_on_dirs then
+    return nil
+  end
+
+  local status = {}
+  if not self:last_group_node().open or self.explorer.opts.git.show_on_open_dirs then
+    -- dir is closed or we should show on open_dirs
+    if self.git_status.file ~= nil then
+      table.insert(status, self.git_status.file)
+    end
+    if self.git_status.dir ~= nil then
+      if self.git_status.dir.direct ~= nil then
+        for _, s in pairs(self.git_status.dir.direct) do
+          table.insert(status, s)
+        end
+      end
+      if self.git_status.dir.indirect ~= nil then
+        for _, s in pairs(self.git_status.dir.indirect) do
+          table.insert(status, s)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  else
+    -- dir is open and we shouldn't show on open_dirs
+    if self.git_status.file ~= nil then
+      table.insert(status, self.git_status.file)
+    end
+    if self.git_status.dir ~= nil and self.git_status.dir.direct ~= nil then
+      local deleted = {
+        [" D"] = true,
+        ["D "] = true,
+        ["RD"] = true,
+        ["DD"] = true,
+      }
+      for _, s in pairs(self.git_status.dir.direct) do
+        if deleted[s] then
+          table.insert(status, s)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  if #status == 0 then
+    return nil
+  else
+    return status
+  end
+end
+
 ---Create a sanitized partial copy of a node, populating children recursively.
 ---@return DirectoryNode cloned
 function DirectoryNode:clone()
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/factory.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/factory.lua
index a46057da111..e6a7e7b437a 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/factory.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/factory.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+local DirectoryLinkNode = require("nvim-tree.node.directory-link")
 local DirectoryNode = require("nvim-tree.node.directory")
-local LinkNode = require("nvim-tree.node.link")
+local FileLinkNode = require("nvim-tree.node.file-link")
 local FileNode = require("nvim-tree.node.file")
 local Watcher = require("nvim-tree.watcher")
 
@@ -8,21 +9,37 @@ local M = {}
 ---Factory function to create the appropriate Node
 ---@param explorer Explorer
 ---@param parent Node
----@param abs string
+---@param absolute_path string
 ---@param stat uv.fs_stat.result? -- on nil stat return nil Node
 ---@param name string
 ---@return Node?
-function M.create_node(explorer, parent, abs, stat, name)
+function M.create_node(explorer, parent, absolute_path, stat, name)
   if not stat then
     return nil
   end
 
-  if stat.type == "directory" and vim.loop.fs_access(abs, "R") and Watcher.is_fs_event_capable(abs) then
-    return DirectoryNode:create(explorer, parent, abs, name, stat)
+  if stat.type == "directory" then
+    -- directory must be readable and enumerable
+    if vim.loop.fs_access(absolute_path, "R") and Watcher.is_fs_event_capable(absolute_path) then
+      return DirectoryNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, name, stat)
+    end
   elseif stat.type == "file" then
-    return FileNode:create(explorer, parent, abs, name, stat)
+    -- any file
+    return FileNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, name, stat)
   elseif stat.type == "link" then
-    return LinkNode:create(explorer, parent, abs, name, stat)
+    -- link target path and stat must resolve
+    local link_to = vim.loop.fs_realpath(absolute_path)
+    local link_to_stat = link_to and vim.loop.fs_stat(link_to)
+    if not link_to or not link_to_stat then
+      return
+    end
+
+    -- choose directory or file
+    if link_to_stat.type == "directory" then
+      return DirectoryLinkNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, link_to, name, stat, link_to_stat)
+    else
+      return FileLinkNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, link_to, name, stat, link_to_stat)
+    end
   end
 
   return nil
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/file-link.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file-link.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..60c50d771f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file-link.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+local git = require("nvim-tree.git")
+
+local FileNode = require("nvim-tree.node.file")
+
+---@class (exact) FileLinkNode: FileNode
+---@field link_to string absolute path
+---@field fs_stat_target uv.fs_stat.result
+local FileLinkNode = FileNode:new()
+
+---Static factory method
+---@param explorer Explorer
+---@param parent Node
+---@param absolute_path string
+---@param link_to string
+---@param name string
+---@param fs_stat uv.fs_stat.result?
+---@param fs_stat_target uv.fs_stat.result
+---@return FileLinkNode? nil on vim.loop.fs_realpath failure
+function FileLinkNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, link_to, name, fs_stat, fs_stat_target)
+  local o = FileNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, name, fs_stat)
+
+  o = self:new(o) --[[@as FileLinkNode]]
+
+  o.type = "link"
+  o.link_to = link_to
+  o.fs_stat_target = fs_stat_target
+
+  return o
+end
+
+-----Update the GitStatus of the target otherwise the link itself
+-----@param parent_ignored boolean
+-----@param status table|nil
+function FileLinkNode:update_git_status(parent_ignored, status)
+  self.git_status = git.git_status_file(parent_ignored, status, self.link_to, self.absolute_path)
+end
+
+---Create a sanitized partial copy of a node
+---@return FileLinkNode cloned
+function FileLinkNode:clone()
+  local clone = FileNode.clone(self) --[[@as FileLinkNode]]
+
+  clone.type = self.type
+  clone.link_to = self.link_to
+  clone.fs_stat_target = self.fs_stat_target
+
+  return clone
+end
+
+return FileLinkNode
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua
index f504631b7fb..cbf3f96df5a 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/file.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+local git = require("nvim-tree.git")
 local utils = require("nvim-tree.utils")
 
 local BaseNode = require("nvim-tree.node")
@@ -36,7 +37,23 @@ function FileNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, name, fs_stat)
   return o
 end
 
----Create a sanitized partial copy of a node, populating children recursively.
+---Update the GitStatus of the file
+---@param parent_ignored boolean
+---@param status table|nil
+function FileNode:update_git_status(parent_ignored, status)
+  self.git_status = git.git_status_file(parent_ignored, status, self.absolute_path, nil)
+end
+
+---@return GitStatus|nil
+function FileNode:get_git_status()
+  if not self.git_status then
+    return nil
+  end
+
+  return self.git_status.file and { self.git_status.file }
+end
+
+---Create a sanitized partial copy of a node
 ---@return FileNode cloned
 function FileNode:clone()
   local clone = BaseNode.clone(self) --[[@as FileNode]]
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua
index f6d970c2a9c..6cebda0b49b 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/node/init.lua
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ local git = require("nvim-tree.git")
 ---@field diag_status DiagStatus?
 local BaseNode = {}
 
----@alias Node RootNode|BaseNode|DirectoryNode|FileNode|LinkNode
+---@alias Node RootNode|BaseNode|DirectoryNode|FileNode|DirectoryLinkNode|FileLinkNode
 
 ---@param o BaseNode?
 ---@return BaseNode
@@ -63,84 +63,16 @@ function BaseNode:has_one_child_folder()
   return #self.nodes == 1 and self.nodes[1].nodes and vim.loop.fs_access(self.nodes[1].absolute_path, "R") or false
 end
 
+--luacheck: push ignore 212
+---Update the GitStatus of the node
 ---@param parent_ignored boolean
----@param status table|nil
-function BaseNode:update_git_status(parent_ignored, status)
-  local get_status
-  if self.nodes then
-    get_status = git.git_status_dir
-  else
-    get_status = git.git_status_file
-  end
-
-  -- status of the node's absolute path
-  self.git_status = get_status(parent_ignored, status, self.absolute_path)
-
-  -- status of the link target, if the link itself is not dirty
-  if self.link_to and not self.git_status then
-    self.git_status = get_status(parent_ignored, status, self.link_to)
-  end
+---@param status table?
+function BaseNode:update_git_status(parent_ignored, status) ---@diagnostic disable-line: unused-local
 end
+--luacheck: pop
 
----@return GitStatus|nil
+---@return GitStatus?
 function BaseNode:get_git_status()
-  if not self.git_status then
-    -- status doesn't exist
-    return nil
-  end
-
-  if not self.nodes then
-    -- file
-    return self.git_status.file and { self.git_status.file }
-  end
-
-  -- dir
-  if not self.explorer.opts.git.show_on_dirs then
-    return nil
-  end
-
-  local status = {}
-  if not self:last_group_node().open or self.explorer.opts.git.show_on_open_dirs then
-    -- dir is closed or we should show on open_dirs
-    if self.git_status.file ~= nil then
-      table.insert(status, self.git_status.file)
-    end
-    if self.git_status.dir ~= nil then
-      if self.git_status.dir.direct ~= nil then
-        for _, s in pairs(self.git_status.dir.direct) do
-          table.insert(status, s)
-        end
-      end
-      if self.git_status.dir.indirect ~= nil then
-        for _, s in pairs(self.git_status.dir.indirect) do
-          table.insert(status, s)
-        end
-      end
-    end
-  else
-    -- dir is open and we shouldn't show on open_dirs
-    if self.git_status.file ~= nil then
-      table.insert(status, self.git_status.file)
-    end
-    if self.git_status.dir ~= nil and self.git_status.dir.direct ~= nil then
-      local deleted = {
-        [" D"] = true,
-        ["D "] = true,
-        ["RD"] = true,
-        ["DD"] = true,
-      }
-      for _, s in pairs(self.git_status.dir.direct) do
-        if deleted[s] then
-          table.insert(status, s)
-        end
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  if #status == 0 then
-    return nil
-  else
-    return status
-  end
 end
 
 ---@param projects table
@@ -176,7 +108,8 @@ end
 -- If node is grouped, return the last node in the group. Otherwise, return the given node.
 ---@return Node
 function BaseNode:last_group_node()
-  local node = self --[[@as BaseNode]]
+  local node = self
+  --- @cast node BaseNode
 
   while node.group_next do
     node = node.group_next
@@ -185,8 +118,8 @@ function BaseNode:last_group_node()
   return node
 end
 
----@param project table|nil
----@param root string|nil
+---@param project table?
+---@param root string?
 function BaseNode:update_parent_statuses(project, root)
   local node = self
   while project and node do
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/node/link.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/node/link.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 2df9d920092..00000000000
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/node/link.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,89 +0,0 @@
-local watch = require("nvim-tree.explorer.watch")
-
-local BaseNode = require("nvim-tree.node")
-
----@class (exact) LinkNode: BaseNode
----@field has_children boolean
----@field group_next Node? -- If node is grouped, this points to the next child dir/link node
----@field link_to string absolute path
----@field nodes Node[]
----@field open boolean
-local LinkNode = BaseNode:new()
-
----Static factory method
----@param explorer Explorer
----@param parent Node
----@param absolute_path string
----@param name string
----@param fs_stat uv.fs_stat.result?
----@return LinkNode? nil on vim.loop.fs_realpath failure
-function LinkNode:create(explorer, parent, absolute_path, name, fs_stat)
-  -- INFO: sometimes fs_realpath returns nil
-  -- I expect this be a bug in glibc, because it fails to retrieve the path for some
-  -- links (for instance libr2.so in /usr/lib) and thus even with a C program realpath fails
-  -- when it has no real reason to. Maybe there is a reason, but errno is definitely wrong.
-  local link_to = vim.loop.fs_realpath(absolute_path)
-  if not link_to then
-    return nil
-  end
-
-  local open, nodes, has_children
-  local is_dir_link = (link_to ~= nil) and vim.loop.fs_stat(link_to).type == "directory"
-
-  if is_dir_link and link_to then
-    local handle = vim.loop.fs_scandir(link_to)
-    has_children = handle and vim.loop.fs_scandir_next(handle) ~= nil or false
-    open = false
-    nodes = {}
-  end
-
-  ---@type LinkNode
-  local o = {
-    type = "link",
-    explorer = explorer,
-    absolute_path = absolute_path,
-    executable = false,
-    fs_stat = fs_stat,
-    hidden = false,
-    is_dot = false,
-    name = name,
-    parent = parent,
-    watcher = nil,
-    diag_status = nil,
-
-    has_children = has_children,
-    group_next = nil,
-    link_to = link_to,
-    nodes = nodes,
-    open = open,
-  }
-  o = self:new(o) --[[@as LinkNode]]
-
-  if is_dir_link then
-    o.watcher = watch.create_watcher(o)
-  end
-
-  return o
-end
-
----Create a sanitized partial copy of a node, populating children recursively.
----@return LinkNode cloned
-function LinkNode:clone()
-  local clone = BaseNode.clone(self) --[[@as LinkNode]]
-
-  clone.has_children = self.has_children
-  clone.group_next = nil
-  clone.link_to = self.link_to
-  clone.nodes = {}
-  clone.open = self.open
-
-  if self.nodes then
-    for _, child in ipairs(self.nodes) do
-      table.insert(clone.nodes, child:clone())
-    end
-  end
-
-  return clone
-end
-
-return LinkNode