diff --git a/vfs/file.go b/vfs/file.go
index aa2493a5f..86f51e252 100644
--- a/vfs/file.go
+++ b/vfs/file.go
@@ -89,6 +89,13 @@ func (f *File) IsDir() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// IsSymlink returns true for symlinks when --links is enabled
+func (f *File) IsSymlink() bool {
+	f.mu.RLock()
+	defer f.mu.RUnlock()
+	return f.d.vfs.IsSymlink(f.leaf)
+}
+
 // Mode bits of the file or directory - satisfies Node interface
 func (f *File) Mode() (mode os.FileMode) {
 	f.mu.RLock()
diff --git a/vfs/vfs.go b/vfs/vfs.go
index 984d64775..b52ec6196 100644
--- a/vfs/vfs.go
+++ b/vfs/vfs.go
@@ -714,3 +714,19 @@ func (vfs *VFS) AddVirtual(remote string, size int64, isDir bool) error {
 	dir.AddVirtual(leaf, size, false)
 	return nil
 }
+
+// IsSymlink returns true if remote ends with fs.LinkSuffix when --links is enabled
+func (vfs *VFS) IsSymlink(remote string) bool {
+	return vfs.Opt.Links && strings.HasSuffix(remote, fs.LinkSuffix)
+}
+
+// TrimSymlink returns true if remote ends with fs.LinkSuffix when --links is enabled
+// Also, if it's a link, it's trimmed from its fs.LinkSuffix
+func (vfs *VFS) TrimSymlink(remote string) (string, bool) {
+	if vfs.IsSymlink(remote) {
+		remote := strings.TrimSuffix(remote, fs.LinkSuffix)
+		return remote, true
+	}
+
+	return remote, false
+}