diff --git a/lib/core/Project.js b/lib/core/Project.js
index a5617e0b..a86f7f44 100644
--- a/lib/core/Project.js
+++ b/lib/core/Project.js
@@ -638,6 +638,11 @@ Project.prototype._readLinks = function () {
                     return;
                 }
 
+                // Skip links to files (see #783)
+                if (!valid.isDirectory()) {
+                    return;
+                }
+
                 name = path.basename(dir);
                 return readJson(dir, {
                     assume: { name: name }
diff --git a/lib/util/validLink.js b/lib/util/validLink.js
index b510cb3c..a4a591fe 100644
--- a/lib/util/validLink.js
+++ b/lib/util/validLink.js
@@ -2,16 +2,17 @@ var Q = require('q');
 var fs = require('graceful-fs');
 
 function validLink(file) {
-    // Filter only those that are valid links
+    // Ensures that a file is a symlink that points
+    // to a valid file
     return Q.nfcall(fs.lstat, file)
     .then(function (stat) {
         if (!stat.isSymbolicLink()) {
-            return [false, null];
+            return [false];
         }
 
         return Q.nfcall(fs.stat, file)
         .then(function () {
-            return [true, null];
+            return [stat];
         });
     })
     .fail(function (err) {