diff --git a/awx/main/models/projects.py b/awx/main/models/projects.py
index 0207fec97b87..38ca20ab069d 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/projects.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/projects.py
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ def playbooks(self):
         results = []
         project_path = self.get_project_path()
         if project_path:
-            for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(smart_str(project_path)):
+            for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(smart_str(project_path), followlinks=True):
                 if skip_directory(dirpath):
                     continue
                 for filename in filenames:
diff --git a/awx/main/utils/ansible.py b/awx/main/utils/ansible.py
index 18011504b965..eda6d6d21491 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/ansible.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/ansible.py
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ def could_be_playbook(project_path, dir_path, filename):
                 matched = True
                 break
     except IOError:
+        logger.exception(f'failed to open {playbook_path}')
         return None
     if not matched:
         return None