diff --git a/bin/cp/utils.c b/bin/cp/utils.c
index d729bd5..8cedeba 100644
--- a/bin/cp/utils.c
+++ b/bin/cp/utils.c
@@ -266,6 +266,11 @@ copy_link(const FTSENT *p, int exists)
 	int len;
 	char llink[PATH_MAX];
 
+	if (exists && nflag) {
+		if (vflag)
+			printf("%s not overwritten\n", to.p_path);
+		return (0);
+	}
 	if ((len = readlink(p->fts_path, llink, sizeof(llink) - 1)) == -1) {
 		warn("readlink: %s", p->fts_path);
 		return (1);