diff --git a/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh b/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh
index a44d22bcea37..629d44fbd8ea 100755
--- a/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh
+++ b/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh
@@ -1327,7 +1327,7 @@ case "${NEED_PWD_MKDB}" in
   ;;
 esac
 
-if [ -e "${DESTDIR}/etc/localtime" -a -z "${PRE_WORLD}" ]; then	# Ignore if TZ == UTC
+if [ -e "${DESTDIR}/etc/localtime" -a ! -L "${DESTDIR}/etc/localtime" -a -z "${PRE_WORLD}" ]; then	# Ignore if TZ == UTC
   echo ''
   [ -n "${DESTDIR}" ] && tzs_args="-C ${DESTDIR}"
   if [ -f "${DESTDIR}/var/db/zoneinfo" ]; then