diff --git a/Help/command/file.rst b/Help/command/file.rst
index 81f2a0121a..ec21fae991 100644
--- a/Help/command/file.rst
+++ b/Help/command/file.rst
@@ -615,11 +615,12 @@ Filesystem
   emitted.
 
   Specifying ``COPY_ON_ERROR`` enables copying the file as a fallback if
-  creating the link fails.  If the source is a directory, the destination
-  directory will be created if it does not exist, but no files will be copied
-  the from source one.  It can be useful for handling situations such as
+  creating the link fails.  It can be useful for handling situations such as
   ``<original>`` and ``<linkname>`` being on different drives or mount points,
   which would make them unable to support a hard link.
+  If the source is a directory, the destination directory will be created if
+  it does not exist.  Contents of the source directory will be copied to the
+  destination directory unless policy :policy:`CMP0205` is not set to ``NEW``.
 
 .. signature::
   file(CHMOD <files>... <directories>...
diff --git a/Help/manual/cmake-policies.7.rst b/Help/manual/cmake-policies.7.rst
index fd010484d1..7a41e00b97 100644
--- a/Help/manual/cmake-policies.7.rst
+++ b/Help/manual/cmake-policies.7.rst
@@ -92,6 +92,14 @@ Supported Policies
 
 The following policies are supported.
 
+Policies Introduced by CMake 4.3
+--------------------------------
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 1
+
+   CMP0205: file(CREATE_LINK) with COPY_ON_ERROR copies directory content. </policy/CMP0205>
+
 Policies Introduced by CMake 4.2
 --------------------------------
 
diff --git a/Help/policy/CMP0205.rst b/Help/policy/CMP0205.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b08ef4a16e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Help/policy/CMP0205.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+CMP0205
+-------
+
+.. versionadded:: 4.3
+
+:command:`file(CREATE_LINK)` with ``COPY_ON_ERROR`` copies directory content.
+
+The :command:`file(CREATE_LINK)` command's ``COPY_ON_ERROR`` option copies
+the source file to the destination as a fallback if linking it fails.
+If the source is a directory, CMake 4.2 and below create the destination
+directory but do not copy its contents.  CMake 4.3 and above prefer to
+copy the directory contents too.  This policy provides compatibility with
+projects that have not been updated to expect the contents to be copied.
+
+The ``OLD`` behavior for this policy is to create the destination directory
+without copying contents.  The ``NEW`` behavior for this policy to create
+the destination directory and copy contents from the source directory.
+
+.. |INTRODUCED_IN_CMAKE_VERSION| replace:: 4.3
+.. |WARNS_OR_DOES_NOT_WARN| replace:: warns
+.. include:: include/STANDARD_ADVICE.rst
+
+.. include:: include/DEPRECATED.rst
diff --git a/Source/cmFileCommand.cxx b/Source/cmFileCommand.cxx
index 057b3fa0ec..4666baa265 100644
--- a/Source/cmFileCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmFileCommand.cxx
@@ -3221,8 +3221,13 @@ bool HandleCreateLinkCommand(std::vector<std::string> const& args,
     return false;
   }
 
+  cmPolicies::PolicyStatus const cmp0205 =
+    status.GetMakefile().GetPolicyStatus(cmPolicies::CMP0205);
+
   // Hard link requires original file to exist.
-  if (!arguments.Symbolic && !cmSystemTools::FileExists(fileName)) {
+  if (!arguments.Symbolic &&
+      (!cmSystemTools::PathExists(fileName) ||
+       (cmp0205 != cmPolicies::NEW && !cmSystemTools::FileExists(fileName)))) {
     result = "Cannot hard link \'" + fileName + "\' as it does not exist.";
     if (!arguments.Result.empty()) {
       status.GetMakefile().AddDefinition(arguments.Result, result);
@@ -3233,20 +3238,30 @@ bool HandleCreateLinkCommand(std::vector<std::string> const& args,
   }
 
   // Check if the new file already exists and remove it.
-  if (cmSystemTools::PathExists(newFileName) &&
-      !cmSystemTools::RemoveFile(newFileName)) {
-    auto err = cmStrCat("Failed to create link '", newFileName,
-                        "' because existing path cannot be removed: ",
-                        cmSystemTools::GetLastSystemError(), '\n');
-
-    if (!arguments.Result.empty()) {
-      status.GetMakefile().AddDefinition(arguments.Result, err);
-      return true;
+  if (cmSystemTools::PathExists(newFileName)) {
+    cmsys::Status rmStatus;
+    if (cmp0205 == cmPolicies::NEW &&
+        cmSystemTools::FileIsDirectory(newFileName)) {
+      rmStatus = cmSystemTools::RepeatedRemoveDirectory(newFileName);
+    } else {
+      rmStatus = cmSystemTools::RemoveFile(newFileName);
+    }
+    if (!rmStatus) {
+      std::string err = cmStrCat("Failed to create link '", newFileName,
+                                 "' because existing path cannot be removed: ",
+                                 rmStatus.GetString(), '\n');
+
+      if (!arguments.Result.empty()) {
+        status.GetMakefile().AddDefinition(arguments.Result, err);
+        return true;
+      }
+      status.SetError(err);
+      return false;
     }
-    status.SetError(err);
-    return false;
   }
 
+  bool const sourceIsDirectory = cmSystemTools::FileIsDirectory(fileName);
+
   // Whether the operation completed successfully.
   bool completed = false;
 
@@ -3261,20 +3276,54 @@ bool HandleCreateLinkCommand(std::vector<std::string> const& args,
                         "': ", linked.GetString());
     }
   } else {
-    cmsys::Status linked =
-      cmSystemTools::CreateLinkQuietly(fileName, newFileName);
-    if (linked) {
-      completed = true;
-    } else {
-      result = cmStrCat("failed to create link '", newFileName,
-                        "': ", linked.GetString());
+    bool needToTry = true;
+    if (sourceIsDirectory) {
+      if (cmp0205 == cmPolicies::NEW) {
+        needToTry = false;
+      } else if (cmp0205 == cmPolicies::WARN) {
+        status.GetMakefile().IssueMessage(
+          MessageType::AUTHOR_WARNING,
+          cmStrCat("Path\n  ", fileName,
+                   "\nis directory. Hardlinks creation is not supported for "
+                   "directories.\n",
+                   cmPolicies::GetPolicyWarning(cmPolicies::CMP0205)));
+      }
     }
+
+    if (needToTry) {
+      cmsys::Status linked =
+        cmSystemTools::CreateLinkQuietly(fileName, newFileName);
+      if (linked) {
+        completed = true;
+      } else {
+        result = cmStrCat("failed to create link '", newFileName,
+                          "': ", linked.GetString());
+      }
+    } else {
+      result =
+        cmStrCat("failed to create link '", newFileName, "': not supported");
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (arguments.CopyOnError && cmp0205 == cmPolicies::WARN &&
+      sourceIsDirectory) {
+    status.GetMakefile().IssueMessage(
+      MessageType::AUTHOR_WARNING,
+      cmStrCat("Path\n  ", fileName,
+               "\nis directory. It will be copied recursively when NEW policy "
+               "behavior applies for CMP0205.\n",
+               cmPolicies::GetPolicyWarning(cmPolicies::CMP0205)));
   }
 
   // Check if copy-on-error is enabled in the arguments.
   if (!completed && arguments.CopyOnError) {
-    cmsys::Status copied =
-      cmsys::SystemTools::CopyFileAlways(fileName, newFileName);
+    cmsys::Status copied;
+    if (cmp0205 == cmPolicies::NEW && sourceIsDirectory) {
+      copied = cmsys::SystemTools::CopyADirectory(fileName, newFileName);
+    } else {
+      copied = cmsys::SystemTools::CopyFileAlways(fileName, newFileName);
+    }
+
     if (copied) {
       completed = true;
     } else {
diff --git a/Source/cmPolicies.h b/Source/cmPolicies.h
index 2f22aaad7e..554d061df5 100644
--- a/Source/cmPolicies.h
+++ b/Source/cmPolicies.h
@@ -612,7 +612,10 @@ class cmMakefile;
          4, 2, 0, WARN)                                                       \
   SELECT(POLICY, CMP0204,                                                     \
          "A character set is always defined when targeting the MSVC ABI.", 4, \
-         2, 0, WARN)
+         2, 0, WARN)                                                          \
+  SELECT(POLICY, CMP0205,                                                     \
+         "file(CREATE_LINK) with COPY_ON_ERROR copies directory content.", 4, \
+         3, 0, WARN)
 
 #define CM_SELECT_ID(F, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6) F(A1)
 #define CM_FOR_EACH_POLICY_ID(POLICY)                                         \
diff --git a/Source/cmSystemTools.cxx b/Source/cmSystemTools.cxx
index c362689e11..45c3fd58ac 100644
--- a/Source/cmSystemTools.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmSystemTools.cxx
@@ -4194,21 +4194,21 @@ bool cmSystemTools::CheckRPath(std::string const& file,
   return newRPath.empty();
 }
 
-bool cmSystemTools::RepeatedRemoveDirectory(std::string const& dir)
+cmsys::Status cmSystemTools::RepeatedRemoveDirectory(std::string const& dir)
 {
 #ifdef _WIN32
   // Windows sometimes locks files temporarily so try a few times.
   WindowsFileRetry retry = cmSystemTools::GetWindowsFileRetry();
 
-  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < retry.Count; ++i) {
-    if (cmSystemTools::RemoveADirectory(dir)) {
-      return true;
-    }
+  cmsys::Status status;
+  unsigned int tries = 0;
+  while (!(status = cmSystemTools::RemoveADirectory(dir)) &&
+         ++tries < retry.Count) {
     cmSystemTools::Delay(retry.Delay);
   }
-  return false;
+  return status;
 #else
-  return static_cast<bool>(cmSystemTools::RemoveADirectory(dir));
+  return cmSystemTools::RemoveADirectory(dir);
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/cmSystemTools.h b/Source/cmSystemTools.h
index 53b2592825..9330482937 100644
--- a/Source/cmSystemTools.h
+++ b/Source/cmSystemTools.h
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ public:
   static bool CheckRPath(std::string const& file, std::string const& newRPath);
 
   /** Remove a directory; repeat a few times in case of locked files.  */
-  static bool RepeatedRemoveDirectory(std::string const& dir);
+  static cmsys::Status RepeatedRemoveDirectory(std::string const& dir);
 
   /** Encode a string as a URL.  */
   static std::string EncodeURL(std::string const& in,
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt
index 8652a5c4e2..880776be0d 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -719,6 +719,7 @@ foreach(var
     list(APPEND file-DOWNLOAD_ARGS -D${var}=${${var}})
   endif()
 endforeach()
+add_RunCMake_test(file-CREATE_LINK)
 add_RunCMake_test(file-DOWNLOAD)
 add_RunCMake_test(file-MAKE_DIRECTORY)
 add_RunCMake_test(file-RPATH
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-NEW.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-NEW.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4cc82ae8ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-NEW.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+set(link_name HardLink)
+set(maybe_SYMBOLIC)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common-NEW.cmake")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-OLD.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-OLD.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e68cb7f3a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-OLD.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+set(link_name HardLink)
+set(maybe_SYMBOLIC)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common-OLD.cmake")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN-stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52873f3e5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN-stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+^CMake Warning \(dev\) at [^
+]*/CMP0205-common\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(file\):
+  Path
+
+    [^
+]*[\\|/]file-CREATE_LINK[\\|/]CMP0205
+
+  is directory.  Hardlinks creation is not supported for directories.
+
+  Policy CMP0205 is not set: file\(CREATE_LINK\) with COPY_ON_ERROR copies
+  directory content\.  Run "cmake --help-policy CMP0205" for policy details\.
+  Use the cmake_policy command to set the policy and suppress this warning\.
+Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
+  [^
+]*/CMP0205-common-WARN\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(include\)
+  [^
+]*/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(include\)
+This warning is for project developers\.  Use -Wno-dev to suppress it\.
+
+CMake Warning \(dev\) at [^
+]*/CMP0205-common\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(file\):
+  Path
+
+    [^
+]*[\\|/]file-CREATE_LINK[\\|/]CMP0205
+
+  is directory.  It will be copied recursively when NEW policy behavior
+  applies for CMP0205\.
+
+  Policy CMP0205 is not set: file\(CREATE_LINK\) with COPY_ON_ERROR copies
+  directory content\.  Run "cmake --help-policy CMP0205" for policy details\.
+  Use the cmake_policy command to set the policy and suppress this warning\.
+Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
+  [^
+]*/CMP0205-common-WARN\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(include\)
+  [^
+]*/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(include\)
+This warning is for project developers\.  Use -Wno-dev to suppress it\.$
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c8ebc710c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-HardLink-WARN.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+set(link_name HardLink)
+set(maybe_SYMBOLIC)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common-WARN.cmake")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-NEW.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-NEW.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4831ab2b29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-NEW.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+set(link_name SymLink)
+set(maybe_SYMBOLIC SYMBOLIC)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common-NEW.cmake")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-OLD.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-OLD.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7fb1f6a5ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-OLD.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+set(link_name SymLink)
+set(maybe_SYMBOLIC SYMBOLIC)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common-OLD.cmake")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-WARN-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-WARN-stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0399f1fd8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-WARN-stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+^CMake Warning \(dev\) at [^
+]*/CMP0205-common\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(file\):
+  Path
+
+    [^
+]*[\\|/]file-CREATE_LINK[\\|/]CMP0205
+
+  is directory.  It will be copied recursively when NEW policy behavior
+  applies for CMP0205\.
+
+  Policy CMP0205 is not set: file\(CREATE_LINK\) with COPY_ON_ERROR copies
+  directory content\.  Run "cmake --help-policy CMP0205" for policy details\.
+  Use the cmake_policy command to set the policy and suppress this warning\.
+Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
+  [^
+]*/CMP0205-common-WARN\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(include\)
+  [^
+]*/CMP0205-SymLink-WARN\.cmake:[0-9]+ \(include\)
+This warning is for project developers\.  Use -Wno-dev to suppress it\.$
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-WARN.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-WARN.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b14ec15df7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-SymLink-WARN.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+set(link_name SymLink)
+set(maybe_SYMBOLIC SYMBOLIC)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common-WARN.cmake")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-NEW.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-NEW.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..15e6a361c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-NEW.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0205 NEW)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common.cmake")
+
+if(NOT allFilesDst)
+  message(SEND_ERROR "Destination directory is empty: '${allFilesDst}'")
+endif()
+
+if(NOT "${allFilesSrc}" STREQUAL "${allFilesDst}")
+  message(SEND_ERROR "Source and destination directories are not equal")
+  message(SEND_ERROR "Source files: '${allFilesSrc}'")
+  message(SEND_ERROR "Destination files: '${allFilesDst}'")
+endif()
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-OLD.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-OLD.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76add41239
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-OLD.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0205 OLD)
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common.cmake")
+
+if(allFilesDst)
+  message(SEND_ERROR "Directory is not empty: '${allFilesDst}'")
+endif()
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-WARN.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-WARN.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee940466b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common-WARN.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# CMP0205 is unset
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205-common.cmake")
+
+if(allFilesDst)
+  message(SEND_ERROR "Directory is not empty: '${allFilesDst}'")
+endif()
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..deb313f9a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205-common.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Use COPY_ON_ERROR to handle the case where the source and destination
+# directory are on different devices and empty.
+file(CREATE_LINK
+  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205 ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-${link_name}
+  ${maybe_SYMBOLIC}
+  RESULT result
+  COPY_ON_ERROR
+  )
+if(NOT result STREQUAL "0")
+  message(SEND_ERROR "COPY_ON_ERROR failed: '${result}'")
+endif()
+
+file(GLOB_RECURSE allFilesSrc LIST_DIRECTORIES true RELATIVE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/CMP0205/*")
+file(GLOB_RECURSE allFilesDst LIST_DIRECTORIES true RELATIVE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-${link_name}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-${link_name}/*")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205/test.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMP0205/test.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39da7034a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 4.1)
+project(${RunCMake_TEST} NONE)
+include(${RunCMake_TEST}.cmake)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR-file.cmake
similarity index 77%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR.cmake
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR-file.cmake
index 777ef4e6c4..e980ac00b3 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR-file.cmake
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Use COPY_ON_ERROR to handle the case where the source and destination
-# directory are on different devices. Cross-device links are not permitted
+# file are on different devices. Cross-device links are not permitted
 # and the following command falls back to copying the file if link fails.
+# Check only command result.
 file(CREATE_LINK
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_FILE} TestCreateLink.cmake
   RESULT result
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC-noexist.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC-noexist.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC-noexist.cmake
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC-noexist.cmake
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC.cmake
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC.cmake
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noarg-result.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noarg-result.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noarg-result.txt
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noarg-result.txt
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noarg-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noarg-stderr.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noarg-stderr.txt
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noarg-stderr.txt
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noarg.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noarg.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noarg.cmake
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noarg.cmake
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noexist-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noexist-stderr.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noexist-stderr.txt
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noexist-stderr.txt
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noexist.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noexist.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK-noexist.cmake
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK-noexist.cmake
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from Tests/RunCMake/file/CREATE_LINK.cmake
rename to Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/CREATE_LINK.cmake
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/RunCMakeTest.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/RunCMakeTest.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ed83312207
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file-CREATE_LINK/RunCMakeTest.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+include(RunCMake)
+
+run_cmake(CREATE_LINK)
+run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR-file)
+run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-noarg)
+run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-noexist)
+
+if(NOT WIN32
+    AND NOT MSYS # FIXME: This works on CYGWIN but not on MSYS
+    )
+  run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC)
+  run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC-noexist)
+endif()
+
+file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect/Dest)
+
+file(REMOVE_RECURSE ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect-SymLink)
+file(CREATE_LINK
+  ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect/Dest ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect-SymLink
+  SYMBOLIC
+  RESULT SymLink_RESULT
+)
+if(SymLink_RESULT STREQUAL "0")
+  message(STATUS "CMP0205-SymLink-* skipped: directory symbolic link creation works")
+  file(REMOVE ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect-SymLink)
+else()
+  run_cmake_script(CMP0205-SymLink-WARN)
+  run_cmake_script(CMP0205-SymLink-OLD)
+  run_cmake_script(CMP0205-SymLink-NEW)
+endif()
+
+file(REMOVE_RECURSE ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect-HardLink)
+file(CREATE_LINK
+  ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect/Dest ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect-HardLink
+  RESULT HardLink_RESULT
+)
+if(HardLink_RESULT STREQUAL "0")
+  message(STATUS "CMP0205-HardLink-* skipped: directory hard link creation works")
+  file(REMOVE_RECURSE ${RunCMake_BINARY_DIR}/CMP0205-Inspect-HardLink)
+else()
+  run_cmake_script(CMP0205-HardLink-WARN)
+  run_cmake_script(CMP0205-HardLink-OLD)
+  run_cmake_script(CMP0205-HardLink-NEW)
+endif()
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/file/RunCMakeTest.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/file/RunCMakeTest.cmake
index 38ec2acd33..57c191bf53 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/file/RunCMakeTest.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/file/RunCMakeTest.cmake
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 include(RunCMake)
 
-run_cmake(CREATE_LINK)
-run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-COPY_ON_ERROR)
-run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-noarg)
-run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-noexist)
 run_cmake(TOUCH)
 run_cmake(TOUCH-error-in-source-directory)
 run_cmake(TOUCH-error-missing-directory)
@@ -87,8 +83,6 @@ run_cmake_command(GLOB-error-CONFIGURE_DEPENDS-SCRIPT_MODE ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -P
 if(NOT WIN32
     AND NOT MSYS # FIXME: This works on CYGWIN but not on MSYS
     )
-  run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC)
-  run_cmake(CREATE_LINK-SYMBOLIC-noexist)
   run_cmake(GLOB_RECURSE-cyclic-recursion)
   run_cmake(INSTALL-SYMLINK)
   run_cmake(READ_SYMLINK)