diff --git a/src/core/copyjob.cpp b/src/core/copyjob.cpp
--- a/src/core/copyjob.cpp
+++ b/src/core/copyjob.cpp
@@ -1573,36 +1573,44 @@
             if (!newjob) {
                 return;
             }
-        } else if (!(*it).linkDest.isEmpty() &&
-                   (uSource.scheme() == uDest.scheme()) &&
-                   (uSource.host() == uDest.host()) &&
-                   (uSource.port() == uDest.port()) &&
-                   (uSource.userName() == uDest.userName()) &&
-                   (uSource.password() == uDest.password()))
-            // Copying a symlink - only on the same protocol/host/etc. (#5601, downloading an FTP file through its link),
-        {
-            KIO::SimpleJob *newJob = KIO::symlink((*it).linkDest, uDest, flags | HideProgressInfo /*no GUI*/);
-            Scheduler::setJobPriority(newJob, 1);
-            newjob = newJob;
-            //qDebug() << "Linking target=" << (*it).linkDest << "link=" << uDest;
-            m_currentSrcURL = QUrl::fromUserInput((*it).linkDest);
-            m_currentDestURL = uDest;
-            m_bURLDirty = true;
-            //emit linking( this, (*it).linkDest, uDest );
-            //Observer::self()->slotCopying( this, m_currentSrcURL, uDest ); // should be slotLinking perhaps
-            m_bCurrentOperationIsLink = true;
-            // NOTE: if we are moving stuff, the deletion of the source will be done in slotResultCopyingFiles
         } else if (m_mode == CopyJob::Move) { // Moving a file
-            KIO::FileCopyJob *moveJob = KIO::file_move(uSource, uDest, permissions, flags | HideProgressInfo/*no GUI*/);
-            moveJob->setSourceSize((*it).size);
-            moveJob->setModificationTime((*it).mtime); // #55804
-            newjob = moveJob;
-            //qDebug() << "Moving" << uSource << "to" << uDest;
-            //emit moving( this, uSource, uDest );
-            m_currentSrcURL = uSource;
-            m_currentDestURL = uDest;
-            m_bURLDirty = true;
-            //Observer::self()->slotMoving( this, uSource, uDest );
+            // A copy operation should copy the file contents and not just
+            // the links, ( #315482 ), so restrict this check to
+            // CopyJob::Move only.
+            //
+            // This is also done to emulate the behaviour of the UNIX cp
+            // command and by common conventions.
+            if (!(*it).linkDest.isEmpty() &&
+                (uSource.scheme() == uDest.scheme()) &&
+                (uSource.host() == uDest.host()) &&
+                (uSource.port() == uDest.port()) &&
+                (uSource.userName() == uDest.userName()) &&
+                (uSource.password() == uDest.password()))
+                // Copying a symlink - only on the same protocol/host/etc. (#5601, downloading an FTP file through its link),
+            {
+                KIO::SimpleJob *newJob = KIO::symlink((*it).linkDest, uDest, flags | HideProgressInfo /*no GUI*/);
+                Scheduler::setJobPriority(newJob, 1);
+                newjob = newJob;
+                //qDebug() << "Linking target=" << (*it).linkDest << "link=" << uDest;
+                m_currentSrcURL = QUrl::fromUserInput((*it).linkDest);
+                m_currentDestURL = uDest;
+                m_bURLDirty = true;
+                //emit linking( this, (*it).linkDest, uDest );
+                //Observer::self()->slotCopying( this, m_currentSrcURL, uDest ); // should be slotLinking perhaps
+                m_bCurrentOperationIsLink = true;
+                // NOTE: if we are moving stuff, the deletion of the source will be done in slotResultCopyingFiles
+            } else {
+                KIO::FileCopyJob *moveJob = KIO::file_move(uSource, uDest, permissions, flags | HideProgressInfo/*no GUI*/);
+                moveJob->setSourceSize((*it).size);
+                moveJob->setModificationTime((*it).mtime); // #55804
+                newjob = moveJob;
+                //qDebug() << "Moving" << uSource << "to" << uDest;
+                //emit moving( this, uSource, uDest );
+                m_currentSrcURL = uSource;
+                m_currentDestURL = uDest;
+                m_bURLDirty = true;
+                //Observer::self()->slotMoving( this, uSource, uDest );
+            }
         } else { // Copying a file
             KIO::FileCopyJob *copyJob = KIO::file_copy(uSource, uDest, permissions, flags | HideProgressInfo/*no GUI*/);
             copyJob->setParentJob(q);   // in case of rename dialog