diff --git a/docs/changes.txt b/docs/changes.txt
index 7e772e11cb..0611debd8f 100644
--- a/docs/changes.txt
+++ b/docs/changes.txt
@@ -531,6 +531,7 @@ All:
 
 - Add wxEvtHandler::CallAfter() method for asynchronous method calls.
 - Add support for symlinks to wxFileName (David Hart).
+- Add wxDIR_NO_FOLLOW flag for wxDir traversal (David Hart).
 - Allow testing for symlink/FIFO/socket existence in wxFileName (David Hart).
 - Many important bug fixes in wxFileSystemWatcher (David Hart).
 - Add separate read/written bytes counters and per-direction NOWAIT and WAITALL
diff --git a/include/wx/dir.h b/include/wx/dir.h
index 83dab66454..de389aef89 100644
--- a/include/wx/dir.h
+++ b/include/wx/dir.h
@@ -22,14 +22,17 @@ class WXDLLIMPEXP_FWD_BASE wxArrayString;
 // constants
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// these flags define what kind of filenames is included in the list of files
-// enumerated by GetFirst/GetNext
+// These flags affect the behaviour of GetFirst/GetNext() and Traverse().
+// They define what types are included in the list of items they produce.
+// Note that wxDIR_NO_FOLLOW is relevant only on Unix and ignored under systems
+// not supporting symbolic links.
 enum wxDirFlags
 {
     wxDIR_FILES     = 0x0001,       // include files
     wxDIR_DIRS      = 0x0002,       // include directories
     wxDIR_HIDDEN    = 0x0004,       // include hidden files
     wxDIR_DOTDOT    = 0x0008,       // include '.' and '..'
+    wxDIR_NO_FOLLOW = 0x0010,       // don't dereference any symlink
 
     // by default, enumerate everything except '.' and '..'
     wxDIR_DEFAULT   = wxDIR_FILES | wxDIR_DIRS | wxDIR_HIDDEN
diff --git a/interface/wx/dir.h b/interface/wx/dir.h
index f4b25eb29f..14f0148e0e 100644
--- a/interface/wx/dir.h
+++ b/interface/wx/dir.h
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ public:
 
 
 /**
-    These flags define what kind of filenames are included in the list of files
-    enumerated by wxDir::GetFirst() and wxDir::GetNext().
+    These flags affect the behaviour of GetFirst/GetNext() and Traverse(),
+    determining what types are included in the list of items they produce.
 */
 enum wxDirFlags
 {
@@ -104,8 +104,28 @@ enum wxDirFlags
     wxDIR_HIDDEN    = 0x0004,   ///< Includes hidden files.
     wxDIR_DOTDOT    = 0x0008,   ///< Includes "." and "..".
 
-    //! Combination of the @c wxDIR_FILES, @c wxDIR_DIRS, @c wxDIR_HIDDEN flags
-    //! defined above.
+    /**
+        Don't follow symbolic links during the directory traversal.
+
+        This flag is ignored under systems not supporting symbolic links (i.e.
+        non-Unix ones).
+
+        Notice that this flag is @e not included in wxDIR_DEFAULT and so the
+        default behaviour of wxDir::Traverse() is to follow symbolic links,
+        even if they lead outside of the directory being traversed.
+
+        @since 2.9.5
+     */
+    wxDIR_NO_FOLLOW = 0x0010,
+
+    /**
+        Default directory traversal flags include both files and directories,
+        even hidden.
+
+        Notice that by default wxDIR_NO_FOLLOW is @e not included, meaning that
+        symbolic links are followed by default. If this is not desired, you
+        must pass that flag explicitly.
+     */
     wxDIR_DEFAULT   = wxDIR_FILES | wxDIR_DIRS | wxDIR_HIDDEN
 };
 
diff --git a/src/unix/dir.cpp b/src/unix/dir.cpp
index f0e6cd9197..2924741545 100644
--- a/src/unix/dir.cpp
+++ b/src/unix/dir.cpp
@@ -150,10 +150,13 @@ bool wxDirData::Read(wxString *filename)
             break;
         }
 
-        // check the type now: notice that we want to check the type of this
-        // path itself and not whatever it points to in case of a symlink
+        // check the type now: notice that we may want to check the type of
+        // the path itself and not whatever it points to in case of a symlink
         wxFileName fn = wxFileName::DirName(path + de_d_name);
-        fn.DontFollowLink();
+        if ( m_flags & wxDIR_NO_FOLLOW )
+        {
+            fn.DontFollowLink();
+        }
 
         if ( !(m_flags & wxDIR_FILES) && !fn.DirExists() )
         {