diff --git a/.changeset/few-cobras-switch.md b/.changeset/few-cobras-switch.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c619a06410cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/few-cobras-switch.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@sveltejs/kit': patch
+---
+
+Allow symlinked directories in the routes folder
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.js b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.js
index bd4f3c296a98..76d555072a67 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.js
+++ b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.js
@@ -426,8 +426,8 @@ function count_occurrences(needle, haystack) {
  * @param {string[]} [files]
  */
 function list_files(dir, path = '', files = []) {
-	fs.readdirSync(dir, { withFileTypes: true })
-		.sort(({ name: a }, { name: b }) => {
+	fs.readdirSync(dir)
+		.sort((a, b) => {
 			// sort each directory in (__layout, __error, everything else) order
 			// so that we can trace layouts/errors immediately
 
@@ -444,10 +444,12 @@ function list_files(dir, path = '', files = []) {
 			return a < b ? -1 : 1;
 		})
 		.forEach((file) => {
-			const joined = path ? `${path}/${file.name}` : file.name;
+			const full = `${dir}/${file}`;
+			const stats = fs.statSync(full);
+			const joined = path ? `${path}/${file}` : file;
 
-			if (file.isDirectory()) {
-				list_files(`${dir}/${file.name}`, joined, files);
+			if (stats.isDirectory()) {
+				list_files(full, joined, files);
 			} else {
 				files.push(joined);
 			}
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.spec.js b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.spec.js
index ac197bee9e3a..d7b06bf71fe9 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.spec.js
+++ b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/index.spec.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
 import { test } from 'uvu';
@@ -95,6 +96,43 @@ test('creates routes', () => {
 	]);
 });
 
+const symlink_survived_git = fs
+	.statSync(path.join(cwd, 'samples/symlinks/routes/foo'))
+	.isSymbolicLink();
+
+const test_symlinks = symlink_survived_git ? test : test.skip;
+
+test_symlinks('creates symlinked routes', () => {
+	const { components, routes } = create('samples/symlinks/routes');
+
+	const index = 'samples/symlinks/routes/index.svelte';
+	const symlinked_index = 'samples/symlinks/routes/foo/index.svelte';
+
+	assert.equal(components, [default_layout, default_error, symlinked_index, index]);
+
+	assert.equal(routes, [
+		{
+			type: 'page',
+			id: '',
+			pattern: /^\/$/,
+			path: '/',
+			shadow: null,
+			a: [default_layout, index],
+			b: [default_error]
+		},
+
+		{
+			type: 'page',
+			id: 'foo',
+			pattern: /^\/foo\/?$/,
+			path: '/foo',
+			shadow: null,
+			a: [default_layout, symlinked_index],
+			b: [default_error]
+		}
+	]);
+});
+
 test('creates routes with layout', () => {
 	const { components, routes } = create('samples/basic-layout');
 
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/test/samples/symlinks/bar/index.svelte b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/test/samples/symlinks/bar/index.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/test/samples/symlinks/routes/foo b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/test/samples/symlinks/routes/foo
new file mode 120000
index 000000000000..79264abecd10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/test/samples/symlinks/routes/foo
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../bar
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/test/samples/symlinks/routes/index.svelte b/packages/kit/src/core/sync/create_manifest_data/test/samples/symlinks/routes/index.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1