diff --git a/lib/grunt/file.js b/lib/grunt/file.js
index b5f51a22..604736cd 100644
--- a/lib/grunt/file.js
+++ b/lib/grunt/file.js
@@ -294,7 +294,12 @@ file.write = function(filepath, contents, options) {
 // processing content, writing output.
 // Handles symlinks by coping them as files or directories.
 file.copy = function copy(srcpath, destpath, options) {
-  if (file._isSymbolicLink(srcpath)) {
+  if (file.isLink(destpath)) {
+    // in case destpath is a symlink, avoid following the symlink, instead overwrite it later
+    fs.unlinkSync(destpath);
+  }
+
+  if (file.isLink(srcpath)) {
     file._copySymbolicLink(srcpath, destpath);
   } else if (file.isDir(srcpath)) {
     // Copy a directory, recursively.
@@ -452,11 +457,6 @@ file.isPathCwd = function() {
   }
 };
 
-file._isSymbolicLink = function() {
-  var filepath = path.join.apply(path, arguments);
-  return fs.lstatSync(filepath).isSymbolicLink();
-};
-
 file._copySymbolicLink = function(srcpath, destpath) {
   var destdir = path.join(destpath, '..');
   // Use the correct relative path for the symlink