diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
index afcb67903da6d..b79bfe8f459dd 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ const Shrinkwrap = require('../shrinkwrap.js')
 const { defaultLockfileVersion } = Shrinkwrap
 const Node = require('../node.js')
 const Link = require('../link.js')
+const Edge = require('../edge.js')
 const addRmPkgDeps = require('../add-rm-pkg-deps.js')
 const optionalSet = require('../optional-set.js')
 const { checkEngine, checkPlatform } = require('npm-install-checks')
@@ -1045,14 +1046,18 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
   // loads a node from an edge, and then loads its peer deps (and their
   // peer deps, on down the line) into a virtual root parent.
   async [_nodeFromEdge] (edge, parent_, secondEdge, required) {
+    let from = edge.from
+    if (from.installLinks && from.linksIn.size) {
+      from = from.linksIn.values().next().value
+    }
     // create a virtual root node with the same deps as the node that
     // is requesting this one, so that we can get all the peer deps in
     // a context where they're likely to be resolvable.
     // Note that the virtual root will also have virtual copies of the
     // targets of any child Links, so that they resolve appropriately.
-    const parent = parent_ || this[_virtualRoot](edge.from)
+    const parent = parent_ || this[_virtualRoot](from)
 
-    const spec = npa.resolve(edge.name, edge.spec, edge.from.path)
+    const spec = npa.resolve(edge.name, edge.spec, from.path)
     const first = await this[_nodeFromSpec](edge.name, spec, parent, edge)
 
     // we might have a case where the parent has a peer dependency on
@@ -1114,7 +1119,7 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
     // also need to set up any targets from any link deps, so that
     // they are properly reflected in the virtual environment
     for (const child of node.children.values()) {
-      if (child.isLink) {
+      if (child.isLink && (child.isWorkspace || !child.installLinks)) {
         new Node({
           path: child.realpath,
           sourceReference: child.target,
@@ -1228,7 +1233,7 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
     const isWorkspace = this.idealTree.workspaces && this.idealTree.workspaces.has(spec.name)
 
     // spec is a directory, link it unless installLinks is set or it's a workspace
-    if (spec.type === 'directory' && (isWorkspace || !installLinks)) {
+    if (spec.type === 'directory') {
       return this[_linkFromSpec](name, spec, parent, edge)
     }
 
@@ -1410,6 +1415,13 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
         continue
       }
 
+      // if installLinks is set then we want to install deps no matter what
+      if (link.installLinks) {
+        this.addTracker('idealTree', link.target.name, link.target.location)
+        this[_depsQueue].push(link.target)
+        continue
+      }
+
       const tree = this.idealTree.target
       const external = !link.target.isDescendantOf(tree)
 
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
index c3cbf02b31080..526d84d2c2e4c 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ module.exports = cls => class Reifier extends cls {
     const nm = resolve(node.parent.path, 'node_modules')
     await this[_validateNodeModules](nm)
 
-    if (node.isLink) {
+    if (node.isLink && (node.isWorkspace || !node.installLinks)) {
       await rm(node.path, { recursive: true, force: true })
       await this[_symlink](node)
     } else {
@@ -687,6 +687,7 @@ module.exports = cls => class Reifier extends cls {
         Arborist: this.constructor,
         resolved: node.resolved,
         integrity: node.integrity,
+        where: dirname(node.path),
       })
     }
   }
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/lib/diff.js b/workspaces/arborist/lib/diff.js
index 0387773c29754..8a597f2c9e531 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/lib/diff.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/lib/diff.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 // for a given branch of the tree being mutated.
 
 const { depth } = require('treeverse')
-const { existsSync } = require('fs')
+const { existsSync, lstatSync } = require('fs')
 
 const ssri = require('ssri')
 
@@ -114,6 +114,21 @@ const getAction = ({ actual, ideal }) => {
     return ideal.inDepBundle ? null : 'ADD'
   }
 
+  if (actual.isLink) {
+    let stat
+    try {
+      stat = lstatSync(actual.path)
+    } catch {}
+
+    if (stat) {
+      if (ideal.installLinks && stat.isSymbolicLink()) {
+        return 'CHANGE'
+      } else if (!ideal.installLinks && !stat.isSymbolicLink()) {
+        return 'CHANGE'
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   // always ignore the root node
   if (ideal.isRoot && actual.isRoot) {
     return null