diff --git a/ecbundle/util.py b/ecbundle/util.py
index 5417b02..20b650d 100644
--- a/ecbundle/util.py
+++ b/ecbundle/util.py
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ def symlink_force(target, link_name):
 
     # prefer relative symlink rather than absolute
     # check first if target is absolute or relative
+    target_orig = target
     if os.path.isabs(target):
         target = os.path.relpath(target, os.path.dirname(link_name))
 
@@ -117,6 +118,20 @@ def symlink_force(target, link_name):
         else:
             raise exc
 
+    # If a relative link is invalid, retry with absolute path if available
+    if not os.path.exists(link_name):
+        if target != target_orig:
+            os.remove(link_name)
+            os.symlink(target_orig, link_name)
+
+    if not os.path.exists(link_name):
+        error(
+            "ERROR: Failed to create valid link from {0} to {1}".format(
+                link_name, target_orig
+            )
+        )
+        raise RuntimeError()
+
 
 def copydir(src_dir, target_dir):
     import os
diff --git a/tests/bundle_create/arch/.gitignore b/tests/bundle_create/arch/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6b7ef3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bundle_create/arch/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*
+!.gitignore
diff --git a/tests/bundle_install/arch/.gitignore b/tests/bundle_install/arch/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6b7ef3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bundle_install/arch/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*
+!.gitignore