diff --git a/crates/engine/src/originals.rs b/crates/engine/src/originals.rs
index 86128108..b3a140a2 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/originals.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/originals.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ use lightcraft_catalog::{Catalog, Source};
 pub struct OriginalGuard {
     /// lower-case file name → (path on disk, what it is: "the original of IMG_1.CR3", …)
     by_name: HashMap<String, Vec<(PathBuf, String)>>,
+    /// The entries of `by_name` that are symlinks, found on the first check that needs them.
+    links: std::sync::OnceLock<Vec<(PathBuf, String)>>,
 }
 
 impl OriginalGuard {
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ impl OriginalGuard {
     /// Protect `path` (an original named `label`) and its sidecars (`IMG_1.xmp`, `IMG_1.CR3.xmp`).
     pub fn add(&mut self, path: &Path, label: &str) {
         let Some(name) = path.file_name().map(|n| n.to_string_lossy().to_string()) else { return };
+        self.links = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
         let mut put = |file: String, p: PathBuf, what: String| self.by_name.entry(file.to_lowercase()).or_default().push((p, what));
         put(name.clone(), path.to_path_buf(), format!("the original of {label}"));
         let stem = path.file_stem().map(|s| s.to_string_lossy().to_string()).unwrap_or_default();
@@ -58,6 +61,19 @@ impl OriginalGuard {
                 }
             }
         }
+        // An imported symlink can have a different name from its original. A write to
+        // that original would change what the library reads through the link. Only do
+        // this fallback for existing targets that the name index did not protect; the links are
+        // looked up once per guard, not once per target.
+        let links = self.links.get_or_init(|| self.by_name.values().flatten().filter(|(p, _)| std::fs::read_link(p).is_ok()).cloned().collect());
+        for (p, what) in links {
+            if same_file(p, target) {
+                return Err(format!(
+                    "{} is {what} in the library: LightCraft never writes over an original (choose another folder or file name)",
+                    target.display()
+                ));
+            }
+        }
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_export.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_export.rs
index 1515d7bf..faba3e3c 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_export.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_export.rs
@@ -324,6 +324,32 @@ fn a_failed_export_write_keeps_the_previous_file() {
     let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
 }
 
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[test]
+fn export_protects_the_target_of_an_imported_symlink() {
+    use crate::export::{Conflict, Destination};
+    let (original_session, _, dir, src, original) = library_with_jpeg("export-symlink-original");
+    drop(original_session);
+    let alias = dir.join("alias.jpg");
+    std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&src, &alias).unwrap();
+    let sidecar = dir.join("metadata.xmp");
+    std::fs::write(&sidecar, b"<x/>").unwrap();
+    std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&sidecar, alias.with_extension("xmp")).unwrap();
+    let mut s = Session::new().with_fs();
+    s.execute("library.import", &json!({"paths": [alias.to_string_lossy()]})).unwrap();
+    let id = s.catalog.photos().next().unwrap().id;
+    s.execute("develop.set", &json!({"ids": [id.0], "control": "light.exposure", "value": 1.0})).unwrap();
+    let o = ExportOptions { conflict: Conflict::Overwrite, ..Default::default() };
+    let to = Destination { dir: String::new(), exact: Some(src.to_string_lossy().to_string()) };
+    let result = disk_batch(&mut s, id, &o, &to);
+    assert!(result.is_err(), "export replaced the original through its imported alias: {result:?}");
+    assert_eq!(std::fs::read(&src).unwrap(), original);
+    assert!(s.execute("export.checkTarget", &json!({"path": src.to_string_lossy()})).is_err());
+    assert!(s.execute("export.checkTarget", &json!({"path": sidecar.to_string_lossy()})).is_err());
+    assert_eq!(std::fs::read(&sidecar).unwrap(), b"<x/>");
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+}
+
 /// Issue #134: exports can always be made again, so they are written atomically but not synced to
 /// disk file by file; an edit copy that becomes a library photo still is.
 #[test]