diff --git a/lib/grunt/file.js b/lib/grunt/file.js
index 21f4ef29..ce268d04 100644
--- a/lib/grunt/file.js
+++ b/lib/grunt/file.js
@@ -467,6 +467,10 @@ file._copySymbolicLink = function(srcpath, destpath) {
   file.mkdir(destdir);
   var mode = grunt.file.isDir(srcpath) ? 'dir' : 'file';
   var destpath = path.join(destpath, fileBase);
+  if (fs.existsSync(destpath)) {
+    // skip symlink if file already exists
+    return;
+  }
   return fs.symlinkSync(srcpath, destpath, mode);
 };