diff --git a/osc/core.py b/osc/core.py
index 8f7d6333..0e8d027a 100644
--- a/osc/core.py
+++ b/osc/core.py
@@ -1277,13 +1277,24 @@ class Package:
             path_is_file = os.path.isfile(path)
             if path_is_file:
                 path = os.path.dirname(path) or "."
+
             package = cls(path, progress_obj)
+            try:
+                # re-use an existing package
+                seen_package_index = packages.index(package)
+                package = packages[seen_package_index]
+                if os.path.abspath(path) != package.absdir:
+                    raise oscerr.PackageExists(package.prjname, package.name, "Duplicate package")
+            except ValueError:
+                # use a new package instance
+                packages.append(package)
+
             if path_is_file:
                 # XXX: modifying 'todo' is an unexpected side-effect
-                package.todo = [os.path.basename(orig_path)]
-            if package in packages:
-                raise oscerr.PackageExists(package.prjname, package.name, "Duplicate package")
-            packages.append(package)
+                todo_entry = os.path.basename(orig_path)
+                if todo_entry not in package.todo:
+                    package.todo.append(todo_entry)
+
         return packages
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/packages/osctest/projectA/pkgA-symlink b/tests/fixtures/packages/osctest/projectA/pkgA-symlink
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..7bfb5b5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/packages/osctest/projectA/pkgA-symlink
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pkgA
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/packages/osctest/projectA/pkgA/pkgA.changes b/tests/fixtures/packages/osctest/projectA/pkgA/pkgA.changes
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/packages/osctest/projectA/pkgA/pkgA.spec b/tests/fixtures/packages/osctest/projectA/pkgA/pkgA.spec
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/test_core_package.py b/tests/test_core_package.py
index d6f79f5f..d37cf5a8 100644
--- a/tests/test_core_package.py
+++ b/tests/test_core_package.py
@@ -81,10 +81,31 @@ class TestPackageFromPaths(OscTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(pac.apiurl, "http://localhost")
 
     def test_duplicates(self):
+        # passing a path twice is ok
         paths = ["projectA/pkgA", "projectA/pkgA"]
         paths = [os.path.join(self.tmpdir, 'osctest', i) for i in paths]
+        pacs = osc.core.Package.from_paths(paths)
+        pac = pacs[0]
+        self.assertEqual(pac.name, "pkgA")
+        self.assertEqual(pac.prjname, "projectA")
+        self.assertEqual(pac.apiurl, "http://localhost")
+
+        # the same package in 2 paths is an error
+        paths = ["projectA/pkgA", "projectA/pkgA-symlink"]
+        paths = [os.path.join(self.tmpdir, 'osctest', i) for i in paths]
         self.assertRaises(osc.oscerr.PackageExists, osc.core.Package.from_paths, paths)
 
+    def test_one_package_two_files(self):
+        paths = ["projectA/pkgA/pkgA.spec", "projectA/pkgA/pkgA.changes"]
+        paths = [os.path.join(self.tmpdir, 'osctest', i) for i in paths]
+        pacs = osc.core.Package.from_paths(paths)
+        self.assertEqual(len(pacs), 1)
+
+        pac = pacs[0]
+        self.assertEqual(pac.name, "pkgA")
+        self.assertEqual(pac.prjname, "projectA")
+        self.assertEqual(pac.apiurl, "http://localhost")
+
     def test_two_packages(self):
         paths = ["projectA/pkgA", "projectA/pkgB"]
         paths = [os.path.join(self.tmpdir, 'osctest', i) for i in paths]