diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/shared/utils/io/FileUtilsTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/shared/utils/io/FileUtilsTest.java
index 51cfb177..77cc4ede 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/shared/utils/io/FileUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/shared/utils/io/FileUtilsTest.java
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
@@ -445,7 +447,7 @@ public void copyFileWithNoFiltersAndLastModifiedDateOfZeroAndNoDestination()
     {
         File from = write(
             "from.txt",
-            MODIFIED_YESTERDAY,
+            0,
             "Hello World!"
         );
         File to = new File(
@@ -453,7 +455,6 @@ public void copyFileWithNoFiltersAndLastModifiedDateOfZeroAndNoDestination()
             "to.txt"
         );
 
-        from.setLastModified( 0 );
         FileUtils.copyFile( from, to, null, (FileUtils.FilterWrapper[]) null );
 
         assertTrue(
@@ -463,6 +464,43 @@ public void copyFileWithNoFiltersAndLastModifiedDateOfZeroAndNoDestination()
         assertFileContent( to, "Hello World!" );
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void copyRelativeSymbolicLinkFileWithNonExistingTargetWithNoFiltersAndNoDestination()
+        throws Exception
+    {
+        write(
+            "target.txt",
+            MODIFIED_YESTERDAY,
+            "Hello World!"
+        );
+        // must be a relative symbolic link to existing target
+        Path from = Files.createSymbolicLink( new File(tempFolder.getRoot(), "symLink").toPath(), Paths.get( "target.txt" ) );
+        File to = new File(
+            tempFolder.newFolder( "destDirectory" ),
+            "toSymLink"
+        );
+        // this creates a symlink in a new folder pointing to a non-existing relative target "./target.txt"
+        FileUtils.copyFile( from.toFile(), to, null, (FileUtils.FilterWrapper[]) null );
+
+        // this should not fail
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void copySymbolicLinkFileWithNonExistingTargetWithNoFiltersAndNoDestination()
+        throws Exception
+    {
+        // link to non existing target
+        Path from = Files.createSymbolicLink( new File(tempFolder.getRoot(), "symLink").toPath(), Paths.get( "non-existing.txt" ) );
+        File to = new File(
+            tempFolder.getRoot(),
+            "toSymLink"
+        );
+        // this creates a symlink in a new folder pointing to a non-existing relative target "./non-existing.txt"
+        FileUtils.copyFile( from.toFile(), to, null, (FileUtils.FilterWrapper[]) null );
+
+        // this should not fail
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void copyFileWithNoFiltersAndOutdatedDestination()
             throws Exception