--- tar-1.23/src/extract.c-orig	2010-01-26 12:28:09.000000000 +0100
+++ tar-1.23/src/extract.c	2010-04-21 12:40:51.000000000 +0200
@@ -253,34 +253,32 @@
 	  mode_t invert_permissions, enum permstatus permstatus,
 	  char typeflag)
 {
-  if (typeflag != SYMTYPE)
+  /* We do the utime before the chmod because some versions of utime are
+     broken and trash the modes of the file.  */
+
+  if (! touch_option && permstatus != INTERDIR_PERMSTATUS)
     {
-      /* We do the utime before the chmod because some versions of utime are
-	 broken and trash the modes of the file.  */
+      /* We set the accessed time to `now', which is really the time we
+         started extracting files, unless incremental_option is used, in
+         which case .st_atime is used.  */
+
+      /* FIXME: incremental_option should set ctime too, but how?  */
+
+      struct timespec ts[2];
+      if (incremental_option)
+	ts[0] = st->atime;
+      else
+	ts[0] = start_time;
+      ts[1] = st->mtime;
 
-      if (! touch_option && permstatus != INTERDIR_PERMSTATUS)
+      if (lutimens (file_name, ts) != 0)
+	utime_error (file_name);
+      else
 	{
-	  /* We set the accessed time to `now', which is really the time we
-	     started extracting files, unless incremental_option is used, in
-	     which case .st_atime is used.  */
-
-	  /* FIXME: incremental_option should set ctime too, but how?  */
-
-	  struct timespec ts[2];
-	  if (incremental_option)
-	    ts[0] = st->atime;
-	  else
-	    ts[0] = start_time;
-	  ts[1] = st->mtime;
-
-	  if (utimens (file_name, ts) != 0)
-	    utime_error (file_name);
-	  else
-	    {
-	      check_time (file_name, ts[0]);
-	      check_time (file_name, ts[1]);
-	    }
+	  check_time (file_name, ts[0]);
+	  check_time (file_name, ts[1]);
 	}
+    }
 
       /* Some systems allow non-root users to give files away.  Once this
 	 done, it is not possible anymore to change file permissions.
@@ -288,7 +286,6 @@
 	 they would apply to the wrong user, and there would be a race
 	 condition.  So, don't use systems that allow non-root users to
 	 give files away.  */
-    }
 
   if (0 < same_owner_option && permstatus != INTERDIR_PERMSTATUS)
     {