diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
index 63104ca00c333ed1eb3a9f6e2d1bd71ccfc4f2ad..a539e2693c1c8e28f2246d60dd40c32637e268e2 100644
--- a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/wm.py
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ class WM_OT_copy_prev_settings(Operator):
         elif not os.path.isdir(path_src):
             self.report({'ERROR'}, "Source path %r exists" % path_src)
         else:
-            shutil.copytree(path_src, path_dst)
+            shutil.copytree(path_src, path_dst, symlinks=True)
 
             # in 2.57 and earlier windows installers, system scripts were copied
             # into the configuration directory, don't want to copy those