3 files changed, 35 insertions, 21 deletions
diff --git a/methods/aptmethod.h b/methods/aptmethod.h
index bef61a8bc..d3c948636 100644
--- a/methods/aptmethod.h
+++ b/methods/aptmethod.h
@@ -3,10 +3,18 @@
 
 #include <apt-pkg/acquire-method.h>
 #include <apt-pkg/configuration.h>
+#include <apt-pkg/error.h>
 
 #include <locale>
 #include <string>
 
+#include <sys/time.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#include <apti18n.h>
+
 class aptMethod : public pkgAcqMethod
 {
    char const * const Binary;
@@ -43,6 +51,29 @@ public:
       va_end(args);
    }
 
+   bool TransferModificationTimes(char const * const From, char const * const To, time_t &LastModified)
+   {
+      if (strcmp(To, "/dev/null") == 0)
+	 return true;
+
+      struct stat Buf2;
+      if (lstat(To, &Buf2) != 0 || S_ISLNK(Buf2.st_mode))
+	 return true;
+
+      struct stat Buf;
+      if (stat(From, &Buf) != 0)
+	 return _error->Errno("stat",_("Failed to stat"));
+
+      // we don't use utimensat here for compatibility reasons: #738567
+      struct timeval times[2];
+      times[0].tv_sec = Buf.st_atime;
+      LastModified = times[1].tv_sec = Buf.st_mtime;
+      times[0].tv_usec = times[1].tv_usec = 0;
+      if (utimes(To, times) != 0)
+	 return _error->Errno("utimes",_("Failed to set modification time"));
+      return true;
+   }
+
    aptMethod(char const * const Binary, char const * const Ver, unsigned long const Flags) :
       pkgAcqMethod(Ver, Flags), Binary(Binary)
    {
diff --git a/methods/copy.cc b/methods/copy.cc
index 5e3654389..810fc2f38 100644
--- a/methods/copy.cc
+++ b/methods/copy.cc
@@ -78,13 +78,8 @@ bool CopyMethod::Fetch(FetchItem *Itm)
    From.Close();
    To.Close();
 
-   // Transfer the modification times
-   struct timeval times[2];
-   times[0].tv_sec = Buf.st_atime;
-   times[1].tv_sec = Buf.st_mtime;
-   times[0].tv_usec = times[1].tv_usec = 0;
-   if (utimes(Res.Filename.c_str(), times) != 0)
-      return _error->Errno("utimes",_("Failed to set modification time"));
+   if (TransferModificationTimes(File.c_str(), Res.Filename.c_str(), Res.LastModified) == false)
+      return false;
 
    CalculateHashes(Itm, Res);
    URIDone(Res);
diff --git a/methods/store.cc b/methods/store.cc
index 934e1a188..fa02d4597 100644
--- a/methods/store.cc
+++ b/methods/store.cc
@@ -126,20 +126,8 @@ bool StoreMethod::Fetch(FetchItem *Itm)					/*{{{*/
    if (Failed == true)
       return false;
 
-   // Transfer the modification times
-   if (Itm->DestFile != "/dev/null")
-   {
-      struct stat Buf;
-      if (stat(Path.c_str(),&Buf) != 0)
-	 return _error->Errno("stat",_("Failed to stat"));
-
-      struct timeval times[2];
-      times[0].tv_sec = Buf.st_atime;
-      Res.LastModified = times[1].tv_sec = Buf.st_mtime;
-      times[0].tv_usec = times[1].tv_usec = 0;
-      if (utimes(Itm->DestFile.c_str(), times) != 0)
-	 return _error->Errno("utimes",_("Failed to set modification time"));
-   }
+   if (TransferModificationTimes(Path.c_str(), Itm->DestFile.c_str(), Res.LastModified) == false)
+      return false;
 
    // Return a Done response
    Res.TakeHashes(Hash);