diff --git a/src/gen/plug/_pluginreg.py b/src/gen/plug/_pluginreg.py
index 22713b0cf..80d608dc9 100644
--- a/src/gen/plug/_pluginreg.py
+++ b/src/gen/plug/_pluginreg.py
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ class PluginRegister(object):
         :Returns: A list with PluginData objects
         """
         # if the directory does not exist, do nothing
-        if not os.path.isdir(dir):
+        if not (os.path.isdir(dir) or os.path.islink(dir)):
             return []
         
         ext = r".gpr.py"
diff --git a/src/gramps.py b/src/gramps.py
index ad78b5e04..e115a0f03 100644
--- a/src/gramps.py
+++ b/src/gramps.py
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@ def setup_logging():
 def build_user_paths():
     """ check/make user-dirs on each Gramps session"""
     for path in const.USER_DIRLIST:
-        if not os.path.isdir(path):
+        if os.path.islink(path):
+            pass # ok
+        elif not os.path.isdir(path):
             os.mkdir(path)
 
 def run():