diff --git a/docs/make_torrent.rst b/docs/make_torrent.rst
index 5cd325bc8..a633679c2 100644
--- a/docs/make_torrent.rst
+++ b/docs/make_torrent.rst
@@ -217,7 +217,12 @@ The ``create_torrent`` class has the following synopsis::
 
 	struct create_torrent
 	{
-		enum { optimize = 1, merkle = 2, modification_time = 4 };
+		enum {
+			optimize = 1
+			, merkle = 2
+			, modification_time = 4
+			, symlink = 8
+		};
 		create_torrent(file_storage& fs, int piece_size = 0, int pad_size_limit = -1, int flags = optimize);
 		create_torrent(torrent_info const& ti);
 
@@ -244,7 +249,12 @@ create_torrent()
 
 	::
 
-		enum { optimize = 1, merkle = 2, modification_time = 4 };
+		enum {
+			optimize = 1
+			, merkle = 2
+			, modification_time = 4
+			, symlink = 8
+		};
 		create_torrent(file_storage& fs, int piece_size = 0, int pad_size_limit = -1, int flags = optimize);
 		create_torrent(torrent_info const& ti);
 
@@ -286,6 +296,13 @@ modification_time
 	with this option enabled, you would get different info-hashes for the
 	files.
 
+symlink
+	If this flag is defined, files that are symlinks get a symlink attribute
+	set on them. The file data will still be the same, the symlink will always
+	be followed when opening the file, but the file list will include the path
+	of the symlink so that the original directory structure can be reproduced
+	on the downloading side.
+
 generate()
 ----------
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/create_torrent.hpp b/include/libtorrent/create_torrent.hpp
index 9ad1ece68..5fab27577 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/create_torrent.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/create_torrent.hpp
@@ -66,7 +66,12 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 	struct TORRENT_EXPORT create_torrent
 	{
-		enum { optimize = 1, merkle = 2, modification_time = 4 };
+		enum {
+			optimize = 1
+			, merkle = 2
+			, modification_time = 4
+			, symlinks = 8
+		};
 
 		create_torrent(file_storage& fs, int piece_size = 0
 			, int pad_file_limit = -1, int flags = optimize);
@@ -143,6 +148,11 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		// if set, include the 'mtime' modification time in the
 		// torrent file
 		bool m_include_mtime:1;
+
+		// if set, symbolic links are declared as such in
+		// the torrent file. The full data of the pointed-to
+		// file is still included
+		bool m_include_symlinks:1;
 	};
 
 	namespace detail
diff --git a/src/create_torrent.cpp b/src/create_torrent.cpp
index 8ed198c9c..767c06b86 100644
--- a/src/create_torrent.cpp
+++ b/src/create_torrent.cpp
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		, m_private(false)
 		, m_merkle_torrent(flags & merkle)
 		, m_include_mtime(flags & modification_time)
+		, m_include_symlinks(flags & symlinks)
 	{
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(fs.num_files() > 0);
 
@@ -166,6 +167,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		, m_multifile(ti.num_files() > 1)
 		, m_private(ti.priv())
 		, m_merkle_torrent(ti.is_merkle_torrent())
+		, m_include_mtime(false)
+		, m_include_symlinks(false)
 	{
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(ti.is_valid());
 		if (ti.creation_date()) m_creation_date = *ti.creation_date();
@@ -279,10 +282,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		if (!m_multifile)
 		{
-			if (m_include_mtime)
-			{
-				info["mtime"] = m_files.at(0).mtime;
-			}
+			if (m_include_mtime) info["mtime"] = m_files.at(0).mtime;
 			info["length"] = m_files.at(0).size;
 			if (m_files.at(0).pad_file
 				|| m_files.at(0).hidden_attribute
@@ -293,9 +293,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 				if (m_files.at(0).pad_file) attr += 'p';
 				if (m_files.at(0).hidden_attribute) attr += 'h';
 				if (m_files.at(0).executable_attribute) attr += 'x';
-				if (m_files.at(0).symlink_attribute) attr += 'l';
+				if (m_include_symlinks && m_files.at(0).symlink_attribute) attr += 'l';
 			}
-			if (m_files.at(0).symlink_attribute)
+			if (m_include_symlinks && m_files.at(0).symlink_attribute)
 			{
 				entry& sympath_e = info["symlink path"];
 				
@@ -315,10 +315,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 				{
 					files.list().push_back(entry());
 					entry& file_e = files.list().back();
-					if (m_include_mtime)
-					{
-						file_e["mtime"] = i->mtime; 
-					}
+					if (m_include_mtime) file_e["mtime"] = i->mtime; 
 					file_e["length"] = i->size;
 					entry& path_e = file_e["path"];
 
@@ -340,9 +337,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 						if (i->pad_file) attr += 'p';
 						if (i->hidden_attribute) attr += 'h';
 						if (i->executable_attribute) attr += 'x';
-						if (i->symlink_attribute) attr += 'l';
+						if (m_include_symlinks && i->symlink_attribute) attr += 'l';
 					}
-					if (i->symlink_attribute)
+					if (m_include_symlinks && i->symlink_attribute)
 					{
 						entry& sympath_e = file_e["symlink path"];