diff --git a/src/nix-store/nix-store.cc b/src/nix-store/nix-store.cc
index 659a237f94a..c573860364e 100644
--- a/src/nix-store/nix-store.cc
+++ b/src/nix-store/nix-store.cc
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ static void opAdd(Strings opFlags, Strings opArgs)
     if (!opFlags.empty()) throw UsageError("unknown flag");
 
     for (auto & i : opArgs) {
-        auto sourcePath = PosixSourceAccessor::createAtRoot(i);
+        auto sourcePath = PosixSourceAccessor::createAtRoot(fs::parent_canonical(i));
         cout << fmt("%s\n", store->printStorePath(store->addToStore(
             std::string(baseNameOf(i)), sourcePath)));
     }
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ static void opAddFixed(Strings opFlags, Strings opArgs)
     opArgs.pop_front();
 
     for (auto & i : opArgs) {
-        auto sourcePath = PosixSourceAccessor::createAtRoot(i);
+        auto sourcePath = PosixSourceAccessor::createAtRoot(fs::parent_canonical(i));
         std::cout << fmt("%s\n", store->printStorePath(store->addToStoreSlow(
             baseNameOf(i),
             sourcePath,
diff --git a/src/nix/add-to-store.cc b/src/nix/add-to-store.cc
index 45563cb2b40..bd94772dc54 100644
--- a/src/nix/add-to-store.cc
+++ b/src/nix/add-to-store.cc
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ struct CmdAddToStore : MixDryRun, StoreCommand
     {
         if (!namePart) namePart = baseNameOf(path);
 
-        auto sourcePath = PosixSourceAccessor::createAtRoot(path);
+        auto sourcePath = PosixSourceAccessor::createAtRoot(fs::parent_canonical(path));
 
         auto storePath = dryRun
             ? store->computeStorePath(
diff --git a/tests/functional/add.sh b/tests/functional/add.sh
index 3b37ee7d47f..0e6868d8f56 100755
--- a/tests/functional/add.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/add.sh
@@ -29,6 +29,47 @@ echo "$hash2"
 
 test "$hash1" = "sha256:$hash2"
 
+# The contents can be accessed through a symlink, and this symlink has no effect on the hash
+# https://github.com/NixOS/nix/issues/11941
+test_issue_11941() {
+    local expected actual
+    mkdir -p "$TEST_ROOT/foo/bar" && ln -s "$TEST_ROOT/foo" "$TEST_ROOT/foo-link"
+
+    # legacy
+    expected=$(nix-store --add-fixed --recursive sha256 "$TEST_ROOT/foo/bar")
+    actual=$(nix-store --add-fixed --recursive sha256 "$TEST_ROOT/foo-link/bar")
+    [[ "$expected" == "$actual" ]]
+    actual=$(nix-store --add "$TEST_ROOT/foo-link/bar")
+    [[ "$expected" == "$actual" ]]
+
+    # nix store add
+    actual=$(nix store add --hash-algo sha256 --mode nar "$TEST_ROOT/foo/bar")
+    [[ "$expected" == "$actual" ]]
+
+    # cleanup
+    rm -r "$TEST_ROOT/foo" "$TEST_ROOT/foo-link"
+}
+test_issue_11941
+
+# A symlink is added to the store as a symlink, not as a copy of the target
+test_add_symlink() {
+    ln -s /bin "$TEST_ROOT/my-bin"
+
+    # legacy
+    path=$(nix-store --add-fixed --recursive sha256 "$TEST_ROOT/my-bin")
+    [[ "$(readlink "$path")" == /bin ]]
+    path=$(nix-store --add "$TEST_ROOT/my-bin")
+    [[ "$(readlink "$path")" == /bin ]]
+
+    # nix store add
+    path=$(nix store add --hash-algo sha256 --mode nar "$TEST_ROOT/my-bin")
+    [[ "$(readlink "$path")" == /bin ]]
+
+    # cleanup
+    rm "$TEST_ROOT/my-bin"
+}
+test_add_symlink
+
 #### New style commands
 
 clearStoreIfPossible