diff --git a/Modules/Internal/CPack/CPack.STGZ_Header.sh.in b/Modules/Internal/CPack/CPack.STGZ_Header.sh.in
index a857aa5840..fece7ed512 100755
--- a/Modules/Internal/CPack/CPack.STGZ_Header.sh.in
+++ b/Modules/Internal/CPack/CPack.STGZ_Header.sh.in
@@ -136,8 +136,16 @@ echo ""
 use_new_tail_syntax="-n"
 tail $use_new_tail_syntax +1 "$0" > /dev/null 2> /dev/null || use_new_tail_syntax=""
 
-extractor="pax -r"
-command -v pax > /dev/null 2> /dev/null || extractor="tar xf -"
+if command -v pax > /dev/null 2> /dev/null; then
+  extractor="pax -r"
+else
+  # Avoid replacing directory symlinks with directories from the package.
+  if tar --help 2> /dev/null | grep "keep-directory-symlink" > /dev/null 2> /dev/null; then
+    extractor="tar --keep-directory-symlink -xf -"
+  else
+    extractor="tar xf -"
+  fi
+fi
 
 tail $use_new_tail_syntax +###CPACK_HEADER_LENGTH### "$0" | gunzip | (cd "${toplevel}" && ${extractor}) || cpack_echo_exit "Problem unpacking the @CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME@"