diff --git a/lib/fs.js b/lib/fs.js
index 83c074bd579709..e857ac47f45c81 100644
--- a/lib/fs.js
+++ b/lib/fs.js
@@ -1793,7 +1793,11 @@ function symlinkSync(target, path, type) {
   if (permission.isEnabled()) {
     // The permission model's security guarantees fall apart in the presence of
     // relative symbolic links. Thus, we have to prevent their creation.
-    if (typeof target !== 'string' || !isAbsolute(toPathIfFileURL(target))) {
+    if (BufferIsBuffer(target)) {
+      if (!isAbsolute(BufferToString(target))) {
+        throw new ERR_ACCESS_DENIED('relative symbolic link target');
+      }
+    } else if (typeof target !== 'string' || !isAbsolute(toPathIfFileURL(target))) {
       throw new ERR_ACCESS_DENIED('relative symbolic link target');
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/internal/fs/promises.js b/lib/internal/fs/promises.js
index 676583ffea5d00..a5df1f00b2e2bf 100644
--- a/lib/internal/fs/promises.js
+++ b/lib/internal/fs/promises.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ const {
   SymbolAsyncDispose,
   Uint8Array,
   FunctionPrototypeBind,
+  uncurryThis,
 } = primordials;
 
 const { fs: constants } = internalBinding('constants');
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ const {
 
 const binding = internalBinding('fs');
 const { Buffer } = require('buffer');
+const { isBuffer: BufferIsBuffer } = Buffer;
+const BufferToString = uncurryThis(Buffer.prototype.toString);
 
 const {
   codes: {
@@ -985,7 +988,11 @@ async function symlink(target, path, type_) {
   if (permission.isEnabled()) {
     // The permission model's security guarantees fall apart in the presence of
     // relative symbolic links. Thus, we have to prevent their creation.
-    if (typeof target !== 'string' || !isAbsolute(toPathIfFileURL(target))) {
+    if (BufferIsBuffer(target)) {
+      if (!isAbsolute(BufferToString(target))) {
+        throw new ERR_ACCESS_DENIED('relative symbolic link target');
+      }
+    } else if (typeof target !== 'string' || !isAbsolute(toPathIfFileURL(target))) {
       throw new ERR_ACCESS_DENIED('relative symbolic link target');
     }
   }