diff --git a/src/copy.c b/src/copy.c
index 71813dc..7b12337 100644
--- a/src/copy.c
+++ b/src/copy.c
@@ -1676,7 +1676,7 @@ restore_default_fscreatecon_or_die (void)
    will be created as a symbolic link to SRC_NAME.  */
 static bool
 create_hard_link (char const *src_name, char const *dst_name,
-                  bool replace, bool verbose, bool dereference)
+                  bool replace, bool verbose, bool dereference, bool simulate)
 {
   /* We want to guarantee that symlinks are not followed, unless requested.  */
   int flags = 0;
@@ -1703,7 +1703,8 @@ create_hard_link (char const *src_name, char const *dst_name,
 
   if (link_failed)
     {
-      error (0, errno, _("cannot create hard link %s to %s"),
+      if (errno != EPERM || ! simulate)
+        error (0, errno, _("cannot create hard link %s to %s"),
              quote_n (0, dst_name), quote_n (1, src_name));
       return false;
     }
@@ -1877,7 +1878,7 @@ copy_internal (char const *src_name, char const *dst_name,
                       /* Note we currently replace DST_NAME unconditionally,
                          even if it was a newer separate file.  */
                       if (! create_hard_link (earlier_file, dst_name, true,
-                                              x->verbose, dereference))
+                                              x->verbose, dereference, false))
                         {
                           goto un_backup;
                         }
@@ -2207,7 +2208,7 @@ copy_internal (char const *src_name, char const *dst_name,
       else
         {
           if (! create_hard_link (earlier_file, dst_name, true, x->verbose,
-                                  dereference))
+                                  dereference, false))
             goto un_backup;
 
           return true;
@@ -2505,8 +2506,14 @@ copy_internal (char const *src_name, char const *dst_name,
            && !(! CAN_HARDLINK_SYMLINKS && S_ISLNK (src_mode)
                 && x->dereference == DEREF_NEVER))
     {
-      if (! create_hard_link (src_name, dst_name, false, false, dereference))
-        goto un_backup;
+      bool can_simulate = S_ISLNK (src_mode);
+      if (! create_hard_link (src_name, dst_name, false, false, dereference,
+                              can_simulate))
+        {
+          if (errno == EPERM && can_simulate)
+            goto skip_hardlink;
+          goto un_backup;
+        }
     }
   else if (S_ISREG (src_mode)
            || (x->copy_as_regular && !S_ISLNK (src_mode)))
@@ -2549,6 +2556,7 @@ copy_internal (char const *src_name, char const *dst_name,
         }
     }
   else if (S_ISLNK (src_mode))
+  skip_hardlink:
     {
       char *src_link_val = areadlink_with_size (src_name, src_sb.st_size);
       dest_is_symlink = true;