diff --git a/bin/CraftOS/OsUtilsBase.py b/bin/CraftOS/OsUtilsBase.py
--- a/bin/CraftOS/OsUtilsBase.py
+++ b/bin/CraftOS/OsUtilsBase.py
@@ -61,3 +61,6 @@
         print("Error:unknown system", file=sys.stderr)
         exit(1)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def supportsSymlinks() -> bool:
+        return True
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bin/CraftOS/win/osutils.py b/bin/CraftOS/win/osutils.py
--- a/bin/CraftOS/win/osutils.py
+++ b/bin/CraftOS/win/osutils.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import platform
+
 import CraftOS.OsUtilsBase
 from CraftDebug import craftDebug
 import ctypes
@@ -41,3 +43,13 @@
     @staticmethod
     def setConsoleTitle(title):
         return ctypes.windll.kernel32.SetConsoleTitleW(title) != 0
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def supportsSymlinks():
+        _, ver, _, _ = platform.win32_ver()
+        ver = ver.split(".")
+        if len(ver) < 3:
+            return False
+        # Since Windows 10 14972 admin rights are no longer required to create symlinks
+        # https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2016/12/02/symlinks-windows-10/
+        return ver[0] == "10" and int(ver[2]) >= 14972
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bin/utils.py b/bin/utils.py
--- a/bin/utils.py
+++ b/bin/utils.py
@@ -262,29 +262,46 @@
     craftDebug.log.debug("unpacking this file: %s" % filename)
 
     ( shortname, ext ) = os.path.splitext( filename )
-    if not utilsCache.findApplication("7za") or re.match( "(.*\.tar.*$|.*\.tgz$)", filename ):
-        shutil.unpack_archive(os.path.join(downloaddir, filename),workdir)
+    if utilsCache.findApplication("7za") and (
+                OsUtils.supportsSymlinks() or not re.match( "(.*\.tar.*$|.*\.tgz$)", filename )):
+        return un7zip( os.path.join( downloaddir, filename ), workdir, ext )
+    if ext == "":
+        craftDebug.log.warning(f"unpackFile called on invalid file extension {filename}")
         return True
-    elif ext == "":
-        return True
-    return un7zip( os.path.join( downloaddir, filename ), workdir, ext )
+    else:
+        try:
+            shutil.unpack_archive(os.path.join(downloaddir, filename),workdir)
+        except Exception as e:
+            craftDebug.log.error(f"Failed to unpack {filename}", exc_info=e )
+            return False
+    return True
 
-def un7zip( fileName, destdir, flag = None ):
-    command = utilsCache.findApplication("7za")
-    command += " x -r -y -o\"%s\" \"%s\"" % ( destdir, fileName )
 
+def un7zip( fileName, destdir, flag = None ):
     kw = {}
+    progressFlags = ""
+    type = ""
+    resolveSymlinks = False
+    app = utilsCache.findApplication("7za")
+    if utilsCache.appSupportsCommand(app, "-bs"):
+        progressFlags = " -bso2 -bsp1"
+        kw["stderr"] = subprocess.PIPE
+
     if flag == ".7z":
         # Actually this is not needed for a normal archive.
         # But git is an exe file renamed to 7z and we need to specify the type.
         # Yes it is an ugly hack.
-        command += " -t7z"
-    if utilsCache.appSupportsCommand(utilsCache.findApplication("7za"), "-bs"):
-        command += " -bso2"
-        command += " -bsp1"
-        kw["stderr"] = subprocess.PIPE
+        type = "-t7z"
+    if re.match( "(.*\.tar.*$|.*\.tgz$)", fileName):
+        type = "-ttar"
+        resolveSymlinks = OsUtils.isWin()
+        command = f"\"{app}\" x \"{fileName}\" -so | \"{app}\" x -si -o\"{destdir}\""
+    else:
+        command = f"\"{app}\" x -r -y -o\"{destdir}\" \"{fileName}\""
+    command = f"{command} {type} {progressFlags}"
 
-    return system( command , displayProgress=True, **kw)
+    # While 7zip supports symlinks cmake 3.8.0 does not support symlinks
+    return system( command , displayProgress=True, **kw) and not resolveSymlinks or replaceSymlinksWithCopys(destdir)
 
 def system(cmd, displayProgress=False, **kw ):
     """execute cmd in a shell. All keywords are passed to Popen. stdout and stderr
@@ -773,3 +790,26 @@
         bat.write("@echo off\r\n")
         bat.write(command)
         bat.write("\r\n")
+
+def replaceSymlinksWithCopys(path):
+    def resolveLink(path):
+        while os.path.islink(path):
+            toReplace  = os.readlink(path)
+            if not os.path.isabs(toReplace):
+                path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(path), toReplace)
+            else:
+                path = toReplace
+        return path
+
+    for root, _, files in os.walk(path):
+        for svg in files:
+            path = os.path.join(root, svg)
+            if os.path.islink(path):
+                toReplace = resolveLink(path)
+                if not os.path.exists(toReplace):
+                    craftDebug.log.error(f"Resolving {path} failed: {toReplace} does not exists.")
+                    return False
+                if toReplace != path:
+                    deleteFile(path)
+                    copyFile(toReplace, path)
+    return True