diff --git a/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs b/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs
index 740f6fbf1..517e70a4f 100644
--- a/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs
+++ b/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs
@@ -1039,6 +1039,20 @@ fn copy_dir_contents_recursive(
     progress_bar: Option<&ProgressBar>,
     display_manager: Option<&MultiProgress>,
 ) -> io::Result<()> {
+    // Helper closure to print verbose messages
+    let print_verbose = |from: &Path, to: &Path| {
+        if verbose {
+            let message =
+                translate!("mv-verbose-renamed", "from" => from.quote(), "to" => to.quote());
+            match display_manager {
+                Some(pb) => pb.suspend(|| {
+                    println!("{message}");
+                }),
+                None => println!("{message}"),
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
     let entries = fs::read_dir(from_dir)?;
 
     for entry in entries {
@@ -1051,20 +1065,29 @@ fn copy_dir_contents_recursive(
             pb.set_message(from_path.to_string_lossy().to_string());
         }
 
-        if from_path.is_dir() {
-            // Recursively copy subdirectory
+        if from_path.is_symlink() {
+            // Handle symlinks first, before checking is_dir() which follows symlinks.
+            // This prevents symlinks to directories from being expanded into full copies.
+            #[cfg(unix)]
+            {
+                copy_file_with_hardlinks_helper(
+                    &from_path,
+                    &to_path,
+                    hardlink_tracker,
+                    hardlink_scanner,
+                )?;
+            }
+            #[cfg(not(unix))]
+            {
+                rename_symlink_fallback(&from_path, &to_path)?;
+            }
+
+            print_verbose(&from_path, &to_path);
+        } else if from_path.is_dir() {
+            // Recursively copy subdirectory (only real directories, not symlinks)
             fs::create_dir_all(&to_path)?;
 
-            // Print verbose message for directory
-            if verbose {
-                let message = translate!("mv-verbose-renamed", "from" => from_path.quote(), "to" => to_path.quote());
-                match display_manager {
-                    Some(pb) => pb.suspend(|| {
-                        println!("{message}");
-                    }),
-                    None => println!("{message}"),
-                }
-            }
+            print_verbose(&from_path, &to_path);
 
             copy_dir_contents_recursive(
                 &from_path,
@@ -1090,25 +1113,11 @@ fn copy_dir_contents_recursive(
             }
             #[cfg(not(unix))]
             {
-                if from_path.is_symlink() {
-                    // Copy a symlink file (no-follow).
-                    rename_symlink_fallback(&from_path, &to_path)?;
-                } else {
-                    // Copy a regular file.
-                    fs::copy(&from_path, &to_path)?;
-                }
+                // Symlinks are already handled above, so this is always a regular file
+                fs::copy(&from_path, &to_path)?;
             }
 
-            // Print verbose message for file
-            if verbose {
-                let message = translate!("mv-verbose-renamed", "from" => from_path.quote(), "to" => to_path.quote());
-                match display_manager {
-                    Some(pb) => pb.suspend(|| {
-                        println!("{message}");
-                    }),
-                    None => println!("{message}"),
-                }
-            }
+            print_verbose(&from_path, &to_path);
         }
 
         if let Some(pb) = progress_bar {
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs b/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs
index 266c812df..80448ba1b 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_mv.rs
@@ -2864,3 +2864,145 @@ fn test_mv_xattr_enotsup_silent() {
         std::fs::remove_file("/dev/shm/mv_test").ok();
     }
 }
+
+/// Test that symlinks inside directories are preserved during cross-device moves
+/// (not expanded into full copies of their targets)
+#[test]
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn test_mv_cross_device_symlink_preserved() {
+    use std::fs;
+    use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;
+    use tempfile::TempDir;
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    // Create a directory with a symlink to /etc inside
+    at.mkdir("src_dir");
+    at.write("src_dir/local.txt", "local content");
+    symlink("/etc", at.plus("src_dir/etc_link")).expect("Failed to create symlink");
+
+    assert!(at.is_symlink("src_dir/etc_link"));
+
+    // Force cross-filesystem move using /dev/shm (tmpfs)
+    let target_dir =
+        TempDir::new_in("/dev/shm/").expect("Unable to create temp directory in /dev/shm");
+    let target_path = target_dir.path().join("dst_dir");
+
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .arg("src_dir")
+        .arg(target_path.to_str().unwrap())
+        .succeeds()
+        .no_stderr();
+
+    assert!(!at.dir_exists("src_dir"));
+
+    // Verify the symlink was preserved (not expanded)
+    let moved_symlink = target_path.join("etc_link");
+    assert!(
+        moved_symlink.is_symlink(),
+        "etc_link should still be a symlink after cross-device move"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        fs::read_link(&moved_symlink).expect("Failed to read symlink"),
+        Path::new("/etc"),
+        "symlink should still point to /etc"
+    );
+
+    assert!(target_path.join("local.txt").exists());
+}
+
+/// Test that broken/dangling symlinks are preserved during cross-device moves
+#[test]
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn test_mv_cross_device_broken_symlink_preserved() {
+    use std::fs;
+    use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;
+    use tempfile::TempDir;
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    // Create a directory with a broken symlink inside
+    at.mkdir("src_dir");
+    symlink("/nonexistent/path", at.plus("src_dir/broken_link"))
+        .expect("Failed to create broken symlink");
+
+    assert!(at.is_symlink("src_dir/broken_link"));
+    assert!(!at.file_exists("src_dir/broken_link"));
+
+    // Force cross-filesystem move using /dev/shm (tmpfs)
+    let target_dir =
+        TempDir::new_in("/dev/shm/").expect("Unable to create temp directory in /dev/shm");
+    let target_path = target_dir.path().join("dst_dir");
+
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .arg("src_dir")
+        .arg(target_path.to_str().unwrap())
+        .succeeds()
+        .no_stderr();
+
+    assert!(!at.dir_exists("src_dir"));
+
+    let moved_symlink = target_path.join("broken_link");
+    assert!(
+        moved_symlink.is_symlink(),
+        "broken_link should still be a symlink after cross-device move"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        fs::read_link(&moved_symlink).expect("Failed to read broken symlink"),
+        Path::new("/nonexistent/path"),
+        "broken symlink should still point to its original (nonexistent) target"
+    );
+}
+
+/// Test that symlinks to regular files are preserved during cross-device moves
+#[test]
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn test_mv_cross_device_file_symlink_preserved() {
+    use std::fs;
+    use std::os::unix::fs::symlink;
+    use tempfile::TempDir;
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    // Create a directory with a file and a symlink to it
+    at.mkdir("src_dir");
+    at.write("src_dir/target.txt", "target content");
+    symlink(at.plus("src_dir/target.txt"), at.plus("src_dir/file_link"))
+        .expect("Failed to create file symlink");
+
+    assert!(at.is_symlink("src_dir/file_link"));
+
+    // Force cross-filesystem move using /dev/shm (tmpfs)
+    let target_dir =
+        TempDir::new_in("/dev/shm/").expect("Unable to create temp directory in /dev/shm");
+    let target_path = target_dir.path().join("dst_dir");
+
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .arg("src_dir")
+        .arg(target_path.to_str().unwrap())
+        .succeeds()
+        .no_stderr();
+
+    assert!(!at.dir_exists("src_dir"));
+
+    // Verify the symlink was preserved (not expanded)
+    let moved_symlink = target_path.join("file_link");
+    assert!(
+        moved_symlink.is_symlink(),
+        "file_link should still be a symlink after cross-device move"
+    );
+
+    // Verify the target file was also moved
+    let moved_target = target_path.join("target.txt");
+    assert!(moved_target.exists());
+    assert_eq!(
+        fs::read_to_string(&moved_target).expect("Failed to read target file"),
+        "target content"
+    );
+}