diff --git a/mwscan/scan.py b/mwscan/scan.py
index 35a0823..f702759 100755
--- a/mwscan/scan.py
+++ b/mwscan/scan.py
@@ -150,8 +150,11 @@ def find_targets(root_path, required_extensions=None,
             if required_extensions and myfile.split('.')[-1] not in required_extensions:
                 continue
 
-            if os.path.islink(path) and not follow_symlinks:
-                continue
+            if os.path.islink(path):
+                if not follow_symlinks:
+                    continue
+                if not os.path.exists(path):
+                    continue
 
             if [x for x in exclude_patterns if re.search(x, path)]:
                 continue
diff --git a/mwscan/tests/test_mwscan.py b/mwscan/tests/test_mwscan.py
index a3ce300..3907ed6 100644
--- a/mwscan/tests/test_mwscan.py
+++ b/mwscan/tests/test_mwscan.py
@@ -85,9 +85,15 @@ def test_find_targets_will_exclude_patterns(self):
         files = list(scan.find_targets(self.target_path, exclude_patterns=p))
         assert files == [], files
 
-    def test_that_symlinks_are_followed(self):
+    def test_that_symlinks_are_properly_followed(self):
         paths = scan.find_targets(self.target_path, follow_symlinks=True)
-        files = map(os.path.basename, paths)
+        files = list(map(os.path.basename, paths))
+
+
+        # py3 returns map whereas py2 returns list,
+        # map can only be iterated once
+        assert len(files) > 5, 'bogus files obj'
+
         assert 'im_a_symlink' in files, \
             'no symlink found in results'
         assert 'recursive_symlink' not in files, \