diff --git a/cmake/catkin_install_python.cmake b/cmake/catkin_install_python.cmake
index 3b5026963..cc9cde68a 100644
--- a/cmake/catkin_install_python.cmake
+++ b/cmake/catkin_install_python.cmake
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ function(catkin_install_python signature)
         file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${rewritten_file})
         # even though the content of the file is overwritten
         # the copy makes sure the file has the right permissions
-        file(COPY ${source_file} DESTINATION ${rewritten_file} USE_SOURCE_PERMISSIONS)
+        if(NOT WIN32 OR NOT IS_SYMLINK "${source_file}")
+          # CMake doesn't support copying symlinks on Windows
+          file(COPY ${source_file} DESTINATION ${rewritten_file} USE_SOURCE_PERMISSIONS)
+        endif()
         set(rewritten_file "${rewritten_file}/${filename}")
         file(WRITE ${rewritten_file} "${data}")
       else()