diff --git a/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py b/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py
index 15888cfd..2346ee96 100644
--- a/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py
+++ b/platformio/package/manager/_symlink.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 import json
 import os
 
-from platformio import fs
 from platformio.package.exception import PackageException
 from platformio.package.meta import PackageItem, PackageSpec
 
@@ -33,9 +32,10 @@ class PackageManagerSymlinkMixin(object):
             data = json.load(fp)
         spec = PackageSpec(**data["spec"])
         assert spec.symlink
-        with fs.cd(data["cwd"]):
-            pkg_dir = os.path.realpath(spec.uri[10:])
-            return (pkg_dir if os.path.isdir(pkg_dir) else None, spec)
+        pkg_dir = spec.uri[10:]
+        if not os.path.isabs(pkg_dir):
+            pkg_dir = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(data["cwd"], pkg_dir))
+        return (pkg_dir if os.path.isdir(pkg_dir) else None, spec)
 
     def get_symlinked_package(self, path):
         pkg_dir, spec = self.resolve_symlink(path)
diff --git a/tests/package/test_manager.py b/tests/package/test_manager.py
index d1c0fc5b..9b92b0b8 100644
--- a/tests/package/test_manager.py
+++ b/tests/package/test_manager.py
@@ -323,7 +323,9 @@ def test_symlink(tmp_path: Path):
     assert ["External", "Installed"] == [
         pkg.metadata.name for pkg in lm.get_installed()
     ]
-    assert lm.get_package("External").metadata.spec.uri.startswith("symlink://")
+    pkg = lm.get_package("External")
+    assert Path(pkg.path) == external_pkg_dir
+    assert pkg.metadata.spec.uri.startswith("symlink://")
     assert lm.get_package(spec).metadata.spec.uri.startswith("symlink://")
 
     # try to update
diff --git a/tests/test_builder.py b/tests/test_builder.py
index 80ccd241..f5935668 100644
--- a/tests/test_builder.py
+++ b/tests/test_builder.py
@@ -216,9 +216,8 @@ int main() {
         """
 [env:native]
 platform = native
-lib_deps = symlink://%s
+lib_deps = symlink://../External
     """
-        % str(external_pkg_dir)
     )
     result = clirunner.invoke(cmd_run, ["--project-dir", str(project_dir), "--verbose"])
     validate_cliresult(result)