diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/internal/dstore/universal/miners/filesystem/UniversalSearchHandler.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/internal/dstore/universal/miners/filesystem/UniversalSearchHandler.java
index cc5e3dbe1c7..33eadcc5f13 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/internal/dstore/universal/miners/filesystem/UniversalSearchHandler.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/internal/dstore/universal/miners/filesystem/UniversalSearchHandler.java
@@ -171,7 +171,17 @@ public class UniversalSearchHandler extends Thread implements ICancellableHandle
 		// is it an archive?
 		boolean isArchive = ArchiveHandlerManager.getInstance().isArchive(theFile);
 		
-		String absPath = theFile.getAbsolutePath();
+		// use canonical path since sometimes we have symbolic links
+		String absPath = null;
+		try
+		{
+			absPath = theFile.getCanonicalPath();
+		}
+		catch (Exception e)
+		{
+			absPath = theFile.getAbsolutePath();
+		}
+		
 		String compareStr = theFile.getName();
 		
 		// is it a virtual file?