diff --git a/include/wx/filefn.h b/include/wx/filefn.h
index 60853f0bce..3a3cc99a43 100644
--- a/include/wx/filefn.h
+++ b/include/wx/filefn.h
@@ -351,8 +351,16 @@ enum wxFileKind
         #define   wxLstat      lstat
         #define   wxAccess     access
     #endif
+
+    #define wxHAVE_NATIVE_LSTAT
 #endif // platforms
 
+// if the platform doesn't have symlinks, define wxLstat to be the same as
+// wxStat to avoid #ifdefs in the code using it
+#ifndef wxHAVE_NATIVE_LSTAT
+    #define wxLstat wxStat
+#endif
+
 #if defined(__VISAGECPP__) && __IBMCPP__ >= 400
 //
 // VisualAge C++ V4.0 cannot have any external linkage const decs