diff --git a/Doc/library/shutil.rst b/Doc/library/shutil.rst
index bb18203..45be0e5 100644
--- a/Doc/library/shutil.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/shutil.rst
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
    be copied.
 
 
-.. function:: copyfile(src, dst)
+.. function:: copyfile(src, dst[, symlinks=False])
 
    Copy the contents (no metadata) of the file named *src* to a file named *dst*.
    *dst* must be the complete target file name; look at :func:`copy` for a copy that
@@ -56,37 +56,56 @@
    such as character or block devices and pipes cannot be copied with this
    function.  *src* and *dst* are path names given as strings.
 
+   If *symlinks* is true and *src* is a symbolic link, a new symbolic link will
+   be created instead of copying the file *src* points to.
+
    .. versionchanged:: 3.3
       :exc:`IOError` used to be raised instead of :exc:`OSError`.
+      Added *symlinks* argument.
 
 
-.. function:: copymode(src, dst)
+.. function:: copymode(src, dst[, symlinks=False])
 
    Copy the permission bits from *src* to *dst*.  The file contents, owner, and
-   group are unaffected.  *src* and *dst* are path names given as strings.
+   group are unaffected.  *src* and *dst* are path names given as strings.  If
+   *symlinks* is true, *src* a symbolic link and the operating system supports
+   modes for symbolic links (for example BSD-based ones), the mode of the link
+   will be copied.
 
+   .. versionchanged:: 3.3
+      Added *symlinks* argument.
 
-.. function:: copystat(src, dst)
+.. function:: copystat(src, dst[, symlinks=False])
 
    Copy the permission bits, last access time, last modification time, and flags
    from *src* to *dst*.  The file contents, owner, and group are unaffected.  *src*
-   and *dst* are path names given as strings.
+   and *dst* are path names given as strings.  If *src* and *dst* are both
+   symbolic links and *symlinks* true, the stats of the link will be copied as
+   far as the platform allows.
 
+   .. versionchanged:: 3.3
+      Added *symlinks* argument.
 
-.. function:: copy(src, dst)
+.. function:: copy(src, dst[, symlinks=False]))
 
    Copy the file *src* to the file or directory *dst*.  If *dst* is a directory, a
    file with the same basename as *src*  is created (or overwritten) in the
    directory specified.  Permission bits are copied.  *src* and *dst* are path
-   names given as strings.
+   names given as strings.  If *symlinks* is true, symbolic links won't be
+   followed but recreated instead -- this resembles GNU's :program:`cp -P`.
 
+   .. versionchanged:: 3.3
+      Added *symlinks* argument.
 
-.. function:: copy2(src, dst)
+.. function:: copy2(src, dst[, symlinks=False])
 
    Similar to :func:`copy`, but metadata is copied as well -- in fact, this is just
    :func:`copy` followed by :func:`copystat`.  This is similar to the
-   Unix command :program:`cp -p`.
+   Unix command :program:`cp -p`.  If *symlinks* is true, symbolic links won't
+   be followed but recreated instead -- this resembles GNU's :program:`cp -P`.
 
+   .. versionchanged:: 3.3
+      Added *symlinks* argument.
 
 .. function:: ignore_patterns(\*patterns)
 
@@ -104,9 +123,9 @@
    :func:`copy2`.
 
    If *symlinks* is true, symbolic links in the source tree are represented as
-   symbolic links in the new tree, but the metadata of the original links is NOT
-   copied; if false or omitted, the contents and metadata of the linked files
-   are copied to the new tree.
+   symbolic links in the new tree and the metadata of the original links will
+   be copied as far as the platform allows; if false or omitted, the contents
+   and metadata of the linked files are copied to the new tree.
 
    When *symlinks* is false, if the file pointed by the symlink doesn't
    exist, a exception will be added in the list of errors raised in
@@ -140,6 +159,9 @@
       Added the *ignore_dangling_symlinks* argument to silent dangling symlinks
       errors when *symlinks* is false.
 
+   .. versionchanged:: 3.3
+      Copy metadata when *symlinks* is false.
+
 
 .. function:: rmtree(path, ignore_errors=False, onerror=None)
 
diff --git a/Lib/shutil.py b/Lib/shutil.py
index 468ffcb..95bebb8 100644
--- a/Lib/shutil.py
+++ b/Lib/shutil.py
@@ -82,8 +82,13 @@
     return (os.path.normcase(os.path.abspath(src)) ==
             os.path.normcase(os.path.abspath(dst)))
 
-def copyfile(src, dst):
-    """Copy data from src to dst"""
+def copyfile(src, dst, symlinks=False):
+    """Copy data from src to dst.
+
+    If optional flag `symlinks` is set and `src` is a symbolic link, a new
+    symlink will be created instead of copying the file it points to.
+
+    """
     if _samefile(src, dst):
         raise Error("`%s` and `%s` are the same file" % (src, dst))
 
@@ -98,54 +103,94 @@
             if stat.S_ISFIFO(st.st_mode):
                 raise SpecialFileError("`%s` is a named pipe" % fn)
 
-    with open(src, 'rb') as fsrc:
-        with open(dst, 'wb') as fdst:
-            copyfileobj(fsrc, fdst)
+    if symlinks and os.path.islink(src):
+        os.symlink(os.readlink(src), dst)
+    else:
+        with open(src, 'rb') as fsrc:
+            with open(dst, 'wb') as fdst:
+                copyfileobj(fsrc, fdst)
 
-def copymode(src, dst):
-    """Copy mode bits from src to dst"""
-    if hasattr(os, 'chmod'):
-        st = os.stat(src)
-        mode = stat.S_IMODE(st.st_mode)
-        os.chmod(dst, mode)
+def copymode(src, dst, symlinks=False):
+    """Copy mode bits from src to dst.
 
-def copystat(src, dst):
-    """Copy all stat info (mode bits, atime, mtime, flags) from src to dst"""
-    st = os.stat(src)
+    If the optional flag `symlinks` is set, symlinks aren't followed if and
+    only if both `src` and `dst` are symlinks. If `lchmod` isn't available (eg.
+    Linux), in these cases, this method does nothing.
+
+    """
+    if symlinks and os.path.islink(src) and os.path.islink(dst):
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            stat_func, chmod_func = os.lstat, os.lchmod
+        else:
+            return
+    elif hasattr(os, 'chmod'):
+        stat_func, chmod_func = os.stat, os.chmod
+    else:
+        return
+
+    st = stat_func(src)
+    chmod_func(dst, stat.S_IMODE(st.st_mode))
+
+def copystat(src, dst, symlinks=False):
+    """Copy all stat info (mode bits, atime, mtime, flags) from src to dst.
+
+    If the optional flag `symlinks` is set, symlinks aren't followed if and
+    only if both `src` and `dst` are symlinks.
+
+    """
+    def _nop(*args):
+        pass
+
+    if symlinks and os.path.islink(src) and os.path.islink(dst):
+        stat_func = os.lstat
+        utime_func = os.lutimes if hasattr(os, 'lutimes') else _nop
+        chmod_func = os.lchmod if hasattr(os, 'lchmod') else _nop
+        chflags_func = os.lchflags if hasattr(os, 'lchflags') else _nop
+    else:
+        stat_func = os.stat
+        utime_func = os.utime if hasattr(os, 'utime') else _nop
+        chmod_func = os.chmod if hasattr(os, 'chmod') else _nop
+        chflags_func = os.chflags if hasattr(os, 'chflags') else _nop
+
+    st = stat_func(src)
     mode = stat.S_IMODE(st.st_mode)
-    if hasattr(os, 'utime'):
-        os.utime(dst, (st.st_atime, st.st_mtime))
-    if hasattr(os, 'chmod'):
-        os.chmod(dst, mode)
-    if hasattr(os, 'chflags') and hasattr(st, 'st_flags'):
+    utime_func(dst, (st.st_atime, st.st_mtime))
+    chmod_func(dst, mode)
+    if hasattr(st, 'st_flags'):
         try:
-            os.chflags(dst, st.st_flags)
+            chflags_func(dst, st.st_flags)
         except OSError as why:
             if (not hasattr(errno, 'EOPNOTSUPP') or
                 why.errno != errno.EOPNOTSUPP):
                 raise
 
-def copy(src, dst):
+def copy(src, dst, symlinks=False):
     """Copy data and mode bits ("cp src dst").
 
     The destination may be a directory.
 
+    If the optional flag `symlinks` is set, symlinks won't be followed. This
+    resembles GNU's "cp -P src dst".
+
     """
     if os.path.isdir(dst):
         dst = os.path.join(dst, os.path.basename(src))
-    copyfile(src, dst)
-    copymode(src, dst)
+    copyfile(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
+    copymode(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
 
-def copy2(src, dst):
+def copy2(src, dst, symlinks=False):
     """Copy data and all stat info ("cp -p src dst").
 
     The destination may be a directory.
 
+    If the optional flag `symlinks` is set, symlinks won't be followed. This
+    resembles GNU's "cp -P src dst".
+
     """
     if os.path.isdir(dst):
         dst = os.path.join(dst, os.path.basename(src))
-    copyfile(src, dst)
-    copystat(src, dst)
+    copyfile(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
+    copystat(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
 
 def ignore_patterns(*patterns):
     """Function that can be used as copytree() ignore parameter.
@@ -212,7 +257,11 @@
             if os.path.islink(srcname):
                 linkto = os.readlink(srcname)
                 if symlinks:
+                    # We can't just leave it to `copy_function` because legacy
+                    # code with a custom `copy_function` may rely on copytree
+                    # doing the right thing.
                     os.symlink(linkto, dstname)
+                    copystat(srcname, dstname, symlinks=symlinks)
                 else:
                     # ignore dangling symlink if the flag is on
                     if not os.path.exists(linkto) and ignore_dangling_symlinks:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_shutil.py b/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
index b169803..a200236 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
@@ -164,6 +164,197 @@
             self.assertTrue(issubclass(exc[0], OSError))
             self.errorState = 2
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(os, 'chmod'), 'requires os.chmod')
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copymode_follow_symlinks(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'foo')
+        dst = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'bar')
+        src_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'baz')
+        dst_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'quux')
+        write_file(src, 'foo')
+        write_file(dst, 'foo')
+        os.symlink(src, src_link)
+        os.symlink(dst, dst_link)
+        os.chmod(src, stat.S_IRWXU|stat.S_IRWXG)
+        # file to file
+        os.chmod(dst, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        self.assertNotEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+        shutil.copymode(src, dst)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+        # follow src link
+        os.chmod(dst, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        shutil.copymode(src_link, dst)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+        # follow dst link
+        os.chmod(dst, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        shutil.copymode(src, dst_link)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+        # follow both links
+        os.chmod(dst, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        shutil.copymode(src_link, dst)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+
+    @unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(os, 'lchmod'), 'requires os.lchmod')
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copymode_symlink_to_symlink(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'foo')
+        dst = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'bar')
+        src_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'baz')
+        dst_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'quux')
+        write_file(src, 'foo')
+        write_file(dst, 'foo')
+        os.symlink(src, src_link)
+        os.symlink(dst, dst_link)
+        os.chmod(src, stat.S_IRWXU|stat.S_IRWXG)
+        os.chmod(dst, stat.S_IRWXU)
+        os.lchmod(src_link, stat.S_IRWXO|stat.S_IRWXG)
+        # link to link
+        os.lchmod(dst_link, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        shutil.copymode(src_link, dst_link, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertEqual(os.lstat(src_link).st_mode,
+                         os.lstat(dst_link).st_mode)
+        self.assertNotEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+        # src link - use chmod
+        os.lchmod(dst_link, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        shutil.copymode(src_link, dst, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+        # dst link - use chmod
+        os.lchmod(dst_link, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        shutil.copymode(src, dst_link, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertEqual(os.stat(src).st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+
+    @unittest.skipIf(hasattr(os, 'lchmod'), 'requires os.lchmod to be missing')
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copymode_symlink_to_symlink_wo_lchmod(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'foo')
+        dst = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'bar')
+        src_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'baz')
+        dst_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'quux')
+        write_file(src, 'foo')
+        write_file(dst, 'foo')
+        os.symlink(src, src_link)
+        os.symlink(dst, dst_link)
+        shutil.copymode(src_link, dst_link, symlinks=True)  # silent fail
+
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copystat_symlinks(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'foo')
+        dst = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'bar')
+        src_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'baz')
+        dst_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'qux')
+        write_file(src, 'foo')
+        src_stat = os.stat(src)
+        os.utime(src, (src_stat.st_atime,
+                       src_stat.st_mtime - 42.0))  # ensure different mtimes
+        write_file(dst, 'bar')
+        self.assertNotEqual(os.stat(src).st_mtime, os.stat(dst).st_mtime)
+        os.symlink(src, src_link)
+        os.symlink(dst, dst_link)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            os.lchmod(src_link, stat.S_IRWXO)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchflags') and hasattr(stat, 'UF_NODUMP'):
+            os.lchflags(src_link, stat.UF_NODUMP)
+        src_link_stat = os.lstat(src_link)
+        # follow
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            shutil.copystat(src_link, dst_link, symlinks=False)
+            self.assertNotEqual(src_link_stat.st_mode, os.stat(dst).st_mode)
+        # don't follow
+        shutil.copystat(src_link, dst_link, symlinks=True)
+        dst_link_stat = os.lstat(dst_link)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lutimes'):
+            for attr in 'st_atime', 'st_mtime':
+                # The modification times may be truncated in the new file.
+                self.assertLessEqual(getattr(src_link_stat, attr),
+                                     getattr(dst_link_stat, attr) + 1)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            self.assertEqual(src_link_stat.st_mode, dst_link_stat.st_mode)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchflags') and hasattr(src_link_stat, 'st_flags'):
+            self.assertEqual(src_link_stat.st_flags, dst_link_stat.st_flags)
+        # tell to follow but dst is not a link
+        shutil.copystat(src_link, dst, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertTrue(abs(os.stat(src).st_mtime - os.stat(dst).st_mtime) <
+                        00000.1)
+
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copy_symlinks(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'foo')
+        dst = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'bar')
+        src_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'baz')
+        write_file(src, 'foo')
+        os.symlink(src, src_link)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            os.lchmod(src_link, stat.S_IRWXU | stat.S_IRWXO)
+        # don't follow
+        shutil.copy(src_link, dst, symlinks=False)
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.islink(dst))
+        self.assertEqual(read_file(src), read_file(dst))
+        os.remove(dst)
+        # follow
+        shutil.copy(src_link, dst, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.islink(dst))
+        self.assertEqual(os.readlink(dst), os.readlink(src_link))
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            self.assertEqual(os.lstat(src_link).st_mode,
+                             os.lstat(dst).st_mode)
+
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copy2_symlinks(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'foo')
+        dst = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'bar')
+        src_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'baz')
+        write_file(src, 'foo')
+        os.symlink(src, src_link)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            os.lchmod(src_link, stat.S_IRWXU | stat.S_IRWXO)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchflags') and hasattr(stat, 'UF_NODUMP'):
+            os.lchflags(src_link, stat.UF_NODUMP)
+        src_stat = os.stat(src)
+        src_link_stat = os.lstat(src_link)
+        # follow
+        shutil.copy2(src_link, dst, symlinks=False)
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.islink(dst))
+        self.assertEqual(read_file(src), read_file(dst))
+        os.remove(dst)
+        # don't follow
+        shutil.copy2(src_link, dst, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.islink(dst))
+        self.assertEqual(os.readlink(dst), os.readlink(src_link))
+        dst_stat = os.lstat(dst)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lutimes'):
+            for attr in 'st_atime', 'st_mtime':
+                # The modification times may be truncated in the new file.
+                self.assertLessEqual(getattr(src_link_stat, attr),
+                                     getattr(dst_stat, attr) + 1)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            self.assertEqual(src_link_stat.st_mode, dst_stat.st_mode)
+            self.assertNotEqual(src_stat.st_mode, dst_stat.st_mode)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchflags') and hasattr(src_link_stat, 'st_flags'):
+            self.assertEqual(src_link_stat.st_flags, dst_stat.st_flags)
+
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copyfile_symlinks(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'src')
+        dst = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'dst')
+        dst_link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'dst_link')
+        link = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'link')
+        write_file(src, 'foo')
+        os.symlink(src, link)
+        # don't follow
+        shutil.copyfile(link, dst_link, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.islink(dst_link))
+        self.assertEqual(os.readlink(link), os.readlink(dst_link))
+        # follow
+        shutil.copyfile(link, dst)
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.islink(dst))
+
     def test_rmtree_dont_delete_file(self):
         # When called on a file instead of a directory, don't delete it.
         handle, path = tempfile.mkstemp()
@@ -190,6 +381,34 @@
         actual = read_file((dst_dir, 'test_dir', 'test.txt'))
         self.assertEqual(actual, '456')
 
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_copytree_symlinks(self):
+        tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        src_dir = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'src')
+        dst_dir = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'dst')
+        sub_dir = os.path.join(src_dir, 'sub')
+        os.mkdir(src_dir)
+        os.mkdir(sub_dir)
+        write_file((src_dir, 'file.txt'), 'foo')
+        src_link = os.path.join(sub_dir, 'link')
+        dst_link = os.path.join(dst_dir, 'sub/link')
+        os.symlink(os.path.join(src_dir, 'file.txt'),
+                   src_link)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            os.lchmod(src_link, stat.S_IRWXU | stat.S_IRWXO)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchflags') and hasattr(stat, 'UF_NODUMP'):
+            os.lchflags(src_link, stat.UF_NODUMP)
+        src_stat = os.lstat(src_link)
+        shutil.copytree(src_dir, dst_dir, symlinks=True)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.islink(os.path.join(dst_dir, 'sub', 'link')))
+        self.assertEqual(os.readlink(os.path.join(dst_dir, 'sub', 'link')),
+                         os.path.join(src_dir, 'file.txt'))
+        dst_stat = os.lstat(dst_link)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchmod'):
+            self.assertEqual(dst_stat.st_mode, src_stat.st_mode)
+        if hasattr(os, 'lchflags'):
+            self.assertEqual(dst_stat.st_flags, src_stat.st_flags)
+
     def test_copytree_with_exclude(self):
         # creating data
         join = os.path.join
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 43e2637..ba151e6 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -422,6 +422,11 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #12715: Add an optional symlinks argument to shutil functions
+  (copyfile, copymode, copystat, copy, copy2).  When that parameter is
+  true, symlinks aren't dereferenced and the operation instead acts on the
+  symlink itself (or creates one, if relevant).  Patch by Hynek Schlawack.
+
 - Add a flags parameter to select.epoll.
 
 - Issue #12798: Updated the mimetypes documentation.