diff --git a/Lib/shutil.py b/Lib/shutil.py
index f00f9b7..0a40c57 100644
--- a/Lib/shutil.py
+++ b/Lib/shutil.py
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@
     elif onerror is None:
         def onerror(*args):
             raise
+    try:
+        if os.path.islink(path):
+            # symlinks to directories are forbidden, see bug #1669
+            raise OSError("Cannot call rmtree on a symbolic link")
+    except OSError:
+        onerror(os.path.islink, path, sys.exc_info())
+        # can't continue even if onerror hook returns
+        return
     names = []
     try:
         names = os.listdir(path)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_shutil.py b/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
index ee15d0e..b63031e 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
@@ -149,6 +149,20 @@
                 except OSError:
                     pass
 
+        def test_rmtree_on_symlink(self):
+            # bug 1669.
+            os.mkdir(TESTFN)
+            try:
+                src = os.path.join(TESTFN, 'cheese')
+                dst = os.path.join(TESTFN, 'shop')
+                os.mkdir(src)
+                os.symlink(src, dst)
+                self.assertRaises(OSError, shutil.rmtree, dst)
+            finally:
+                shutil.rmtree(TESTFN, ignore_errors=True)
+
+
+
 def test_main():
     test_support.run_unittest(TestShutil)