Index: cpio-2.12/src/copyin.c
===================================================================
--- cpio-2.12.orig/src/copyin.c
+++ cpio-2.12/src/copyin.c
@@ -695,6 +695,51 @@ copyin_link (struct cpio_file_stat *file
   free (link_name);
 }
 
+
+static int
+path_contains_symlink(char *path)
+{
+  struct stat st;
+  char *slash;
+  char *nextslash;
+
+  /* we got NULL pointer or empty string */
+  if (!path || !*path) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  slash = path;
+
+  while ((nextslash = strchr(slash + 1, '/')) != NULL) {
+    slash = nextslash;
+    *slash = '\0';
+
+    if (lstat(path, &st) != 0) {
+      if (errno == ELOOP) {
+        /* ELOOP - too many symlinks */
+        *slash = '/';
+        return true;
+      } else if (errno == ENOMEM) {
+        /* No memory for lstat - terminate */
+        xalloc_die();
+      } else {
+        /* cannot lstat path - give up */
+        *slash = '/';
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (S_ISLNK(st.st_mode)) {
+      *slash = '/';
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    *slash = '/';
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 static void
 copyin_file (struct cpio_file_stat *file_hdr, int in_file_des)
 {
@@ -1474,6 +1519,23 @@ process_copy_in ()
 	{
 	  /* Copy the input file into the directory structure.  */
 
+          /* Can we write files over symlinks? */
+          if (!extract_over_symlinks)
+            {
+              if (path_contains_symlink(file_hdr.c_name))
+                {
+                  /* skip the file */
+                  /*
+                  fprintf(stderr, "Can't write over symlinks. Skipping %s\n", file_hdr.c_name);
+                  tape_toss_input (in_file_des, file_hdr.c_filesize);
+                  tape_skip_padding (in_file_des, file_hdr.c_filesize);
+                  continue;
+                  */
+                  /* terminate */
+	          error (1, 0, _("Can't write over symlinks: %s\n"), file_hdr.c_name);
+                }
+            }
+
 	  /* Do we need to rename the file? */
 	  if (rename_flag || rename_batch_file)
 	    {
Index: cpio-2.12/src/global.c
===================================================================
--- cpio-2.12.orig/src/global.c
+++ cpio-2.12/src/global.c
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ bool to_stdout_option = false;
 /* The name this program was run with.  */
 char *program_name;
 
+/* Extract files over symbolic links */
+bool extract_over_symlinks;
+
 /* A pointer to either lstat or stat, depending on whether
    dereferencing of symlinks is done for input files.  */
 int (*xstat) ();
Index: cpio-2.12/src/main.c
===================================================================
--- cpio-2.12.orig/src/main.c
+++ cpio-2.12/src/main.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ enum cpio_options {
   DEBUG_OPTION,                  
   BLOCK_SIZE_OPTION,             
   TO_STDOUT_OPTION,
+  EXTRACT_OVER_SYMLINKS,
   RENUMBER_INODES_OPTION,
   IGNORE_DEVNO_OPTION,
   DEVICE_INDEPENDENT_OPTION
@@ -243,6 +244,8 @@ static struct argp_option options[] = {
    N_("Create leading directories where needed"), GRID+1 },
   {"no-preserve-owner", NO_PRESERVE_OWNER_OPTION, 0, 0,
    N_("Do not change the ownership of the files"), GRID+1 },
+  {"extract-over-symlinks", EXTRACT_OVER_SYMLINKS, 0, 0,
+   N_("Force writing over symbolic links"), GRID+1 },
   {"unconditional", 'u', NULL, 0,
    N_("Replace all files unconditionally"), GRID+1 },
   {"sparse", SPARSE_OPTION, NULL, 0,
@@ -433,6 +436,10 @@ crc newc odc bin ustar tar (all-caps als
       no_chown_flag = true;
       break;
 
+    case EXTRACT_OVER_SYMLINKS:		        /* --extract-over-symlinks */
+      extract_over_symlinks = true;
+      break;
+
     case 'o':		/* Copy-out mode.  */
       if (copy_function != 0)
 	USAGE_ERROR ((0, 0, _("Mode already defined")));
Index: cpio-2.12/src/extern.h
===================================================================
--- cpio-2.12.orig/src/extern.h
+++ cpio-2.12/src/extern.h
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ extern char input_is_special;
 extern char output_is_special;
 extern char input_is_seekable;
 extern char output_is_seekable;
+extern bool extract_over_symlinks;
 extern int (*xstat) ();
 extern void (*copy_function) ();
 extern char *change_directory_option;
Index: cpio-2.12/doc/cpio.1
===================================================================
--- cpio-2.12.orig/doc/cpio.1
+++ cpio-2.12/doc/cpio.1
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ cpio \- copy files to and from archives
 [\fB\-\-force\-local\fR] [\fB\-\-no\-absolute\-filenames\fR] [\fB\-\-sparse\fR]
 [\fB\-\-only\-verify\-crc\fR] [\fB\-\-to\-stdout\fR] [\fB\-\-quiet\fR]
 [\fB\-\-rsh\-command=\fICOMMAND\fR]
+[\fB\-\-extract\-over\-symlinks\fR]
 [\fIpattern\fR...] [\fB<\fR \fIarchive\fR]
 
 .B cpio