diff --git a/request-example.go b/request-example.go
index ba22bcd0..def6666f 100644
--- a/request-example.go
+++ b/request-example.go
@@ -464,14 +464,6 @@ func (fs *root) Lstat(r *Request) (ListerAt, error) {
 	return listerat{file}, nil
 }
 
-// implements RealpathFileLister interface
-func (fs *root) Realpath(p string) string {
-	if fs.startDirectory == "" || fs.startDirectory == "/" {
-		return cleanPath(p)
-	}
-	return cleanPathWithBase(fs.startDirectory, p)
-}
-
 // In memory file-system-y thing that the Hanlders live on
 type root struct {
 	rootFile       *memFile
@@ -555,6 +547,35 @@ func (fs *root) fetch(path string) (*memFile, error) {
 	return file, nil
 }
 
+// In memory file-system which implements the RealPathFileLister
+type rootWithRealPather struct {
+	root
+}
+
+// implements RealpathFileLister interface
+func (fs *rootWithRealPather) Realpath(p string) (string, error) {
+	if fs.mockErr != nil {
+		return "", fs.mockErr
+	}
+	if fs.startDirectory == "" || fs.startDirectory == "/" {
+		return cleanPath(p), nil
+	}
+	return cleanPathWithBase(fs.startDirectory, p), nil
+}
+
+// In memory file-system which implements legacyRealPathFileLister
+type rootWithLegacyRealPather struct {
+	root
+}
+
+// implements RealpathFileLister interface
+func (fs *rootWithLegacyRealPather) Realpath(p string) string {
+	if fs.startDirectory == "" || fs.startDirectory == "/" {
+		return cleanPath(p)
+	}
+	return cleanPathWithBase(fs.startDirectory, p)
+}
+
 // Implements os.FileInfo, io.ReaderAt and io.WriterAt interfaces.
 // These are the 3 interfaces necessary for the Handlers.
 // Implements the optional interface TransferError.
diff --git a/request-interfaces.go b/request-interfaces.go
index e5dc49bb..d882b11a 100644
--- a/request-interfaces.go
+++ b/request-interfaces.go
@@ -87,12 +87,19 @@ type LstatFileLister interface {
 }
 
 // RealPathFileLister is a FileLister that implements the Realpath method.
-// We use "/" as start directory for relative paths, implementing this
-// interface you can customize the start directory.
+// The built-in RealPath implementation does not resolve symbolic links,
+// by implementing this interface you can customize the returned path
+// and, for example, resolve symbolinc links if needed for your use case.
 // You have to return an absolute POSIX path.
-//
-// Deprecated: if you want to set a start directory use WithStartDirectory RequestServerOption instead.
 type RealPathFileLister interface {
+	FileLister
+	RealPath(string) (string, error)
+}
+
+// This interface is here for backward compatibility only.
+// Up to v1.13.5 we didn't allow to return an error from the RealPathFileLister
+// interface, which is wrong
+type legacyRealPathFileLister interface {
 	FileLister
 	RealPath(string) string
 }
diff --git a/request-server.go b/request-server.go
index b7dadd6c..197273d6 100644
--- a/request-server.go
+++ b/request-server.go
@@ -219,12 +219,19 @@ func (rs *RequestServer) packetWorker(ctx context.Context, pktChan chan orderedR
 			rpkt = statusFromError(pkt.ID, rs.closeRequest(handle))
 		case *sshFxpRealpathPacket:
 			var realPath string
+			var err error
 			if realPather, ok := rs.Handlers.FileList.(RealPathFileLister); ok {
-				realPath = realPather.RealPath(pkt.getPath())
+				realPath, err = realPather.RealPath(pkt.getPath())
+			} else if legacyRealPather, ok := rs.Handlers.FileList.(legacyRealPathFileLister); ok {
+				realPath = legacyRealPather.RealPath(pkt.getPath())
 			} else {
 				realPath = cleanPathWithBase(rs.startDirectory, pkt.getPath())
 			}
-			rpkt = cleanPacketPath(pkt, realPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				rpkt = statusFromError(pkt.ID, err)
+			} else {
+				rpkt = cleanPacketPath(pkt, realPath)
+			}
 		case *sshFxpOpendirPacket:
 			request := requestFromPacket(ctx, pkt, rs.startDirectory)
 			handle := rs.nextRequest(request)
diff --git a/request-server_test.go b/request-server_test.go
index c8e64d63..2821ed2c 100644
--- a/request-server_test.go
+++ b/request-server_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package sftp
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -840,10 +841,42 @@ func TestUncleanDisconnect(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRealPath(t *testing.T) {
-	root := &root{
-		rootFile:       &memFile{name: "/", modtime: time.Now(), isdir: true},
-		files:          make(map[string]*memFile),
-		startDirectory: "/apath",
+	root := &rootWithRealPather{
+		root: root{
+			rootFile:       &memFile{name: "/", modtime: time.Now(), isdir: true},
+			files:          make(map[string]*memFile),
+			startDirectory: "/apath",
+		},
+	}
+
+	p, err := root.Realpath(".")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, root.startDirectory, p)
+	p, err = root.Realpath("/")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "/", p)
+	p, err = root.Realpath("..")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "/", p)
+	p, err = root.Realpath("../../..")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "/", p)
+	p, err = root.Realpath("relpath")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, path.Join(root.startDirectory, "relpath"), p)
+	// test an error
+	root.returnErr(errors.New("test error"))
+	_, err = root.Realpath(".")
+	require.Error(t, err)
+}
+
+func TestLegacyRealPath(t *testing.T) {
+	root := &rootWithLegacyRealPather{
+		root: root{
+			rootFile:       &memFile{name: "/", modtime: time.Now(), isdir: true},
+			files:          make(map[string]*memFile),
+			startDirectory: "/apath",
+		},
 	}
 
 	p := root.Realpath(".")