diff --git a/tests/test_fs.py b/tests/test_fs.py
index 172d305..41e9c63 100644
--- a/tests/test_fs.py
+++ b/tests/test_fs.py
@@ -9,45 +9,82 @@ from spqr.curateipsum import fs
 
 
 class TestHardlinkDir(unittest.TestCase):
-    @classmethod
-    def setUpClass(self):
+    def setUp(self):
         self.tmp_dir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
         self.src_dir = self.tmp_dir.name
         self.dst_dir = self.src_dir + ".copy"
 
-        # common_file
-        self.cf_name = "common_file"
-        self.cf = os.path.join(self.src_dir, self.cf_name)
-        with open(self.cf, "w") as f:
+    def _create_common_file(self):
+        cf_relpath = "common_file"
+        cf_path = os.path.join(self.src_dir, cf_relpath)
+        with open(cf_path, "w") as f:
             f.write(string.printable)
+        return cf_relpath
 
-        # symlink to common file
-        self.sl2cf_name = "symlink_to_common_file"
-        self.sl2cf = os.path.join(self.src_dir, self.sl2cf_name)
-        os.symlink(self.cf, self.sl2cf)
-
-        # hardlink to common file
-        self.hl2cf_name = "hardlink_to_common_file"
-        self.hl2cf = os.path.join(self.src_dir, self.hl2cf_name)
-        os.link(self.cf, self.hl2cf)
+    def test_common_file(self):
+        cf_relpath = self._create_common_file()
 
         fs.hardlink_dir(self.src_dir, self.dst_dir)
 
-    def test_common_file(self):
-        src_stat = os.lstat(self.cf)
-        dst_stat = os.lstat(os.path.join(self.dst_dir, self.cf_name))
+        src_stat = os.lstat(os.path.join(self.dst_dir, cf_relpath))
+        dst_stat = os.lstat(os.path.join(self.src_dir, cf_relpath))
         self.assertTrue(os.path.samestat(src_stat, dst_stat))
+        self.assertEqual(src_stat.st_nlink, 2)
 
-    def test_symlink_to_common_file(self):
-        dst_sl2cf_path = os.path.join(self.dst_dir, self.sl2cf_name)
-        self.assertEqual(os.readlink(dst_sl2cf_path), self.cf)
+    def test_relative_symlink_to_common_file(self):
+        cf_relpath = self._create_common_file()
+        sl2cf_relpath = "symlink_to_common_file"
+        os.chdir(self.src_dir)
+        os.symlink(cf_relpath, sl2cf_relpath)
+
+        fs.hardlink_dir(self.src_dir, self.dst_dir)
+
+        # check link
+        dst_sl2cf_path = os.path.join(self.dst_dir, sl2cf_relpath)
+        self.assertEqual(os.readlink(dst_sl2cf_path), cf_relpath)
+
+        # check stats
+        src_stat = os.lstat(os.path.join(self.dst_dir, sl2cf_relpath))
+        dst_stat = os.lstat(dst_sl2cf_path)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samestat(src_stat, dst_stat))
+        self.assertEqual(src_stat.st_nlink, 2)
+
+    def test_absolute_symlink_to_common_file(self):
+        cf_relpath = self._create_common_file()
+        cf_path = os.path.join(self.src_dir, cf_relpath)
+        sl2cf_relpath = "symlink_to_common_file"
+        sl2cf_path = os.path.join(self.src_dir, sl2cf_relpath)
+        os.symlink(cf_path, sl2cf_path)
+
+        fs.hardlink_dir(self.src_dir, self.dst_dir)
+
+        # check link
+        dst_sl2cf_path = os.path.join(self.dst_dir, sl2cf_relpath)
+        self.assertEqual(os.readlink(dst_sl2cf_path), cf_path)
+
+        # check stats
+        src_stat = os.lstat(os.path.join(self.dst_dir, sl2cf_relpath))
+        dst_stat = os.lstat(dst_sl2cf_path)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samestat(src_stat, dst_stat))
+        self.assertEqual(src_stat.st_nlink, 2)
 
     def test_hardlink_to_common_file(self):
-        src_stat = os.lstat(self.hl2cf)
-        dst_stat = os.lstat(os.path.join(self.dst_dir, self.hl2cf_name))
-        self.assertTrue(os.path.samestat(src_stat, dst_stat))
+        cf_relpath = self._create_common_file()
+        cf_path = os.path.join(self.src_dir, cf_relpath)
+        hl2cf_relpath = "hardlink_to_common_file"
+        hl2cf_path = os.path.join(self.src_dir, hl2cf_relpath)
+        os.link(cf_path, hl2cf_path)
 
-    @classmethod
-    def tearDownClass(self):
+        fs.hardlink_dir(self.src_dir, self.dst_dir)
+
+        src_cf_stat = os.lstat(cf_path)
+        src_hl_stat = os.lstat(hl2cf_path)
+        dst_hl_stat = os.lstat(os.path.join(self.dst_dir, hl2cf_relpath))
+
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samestat(src_cf_stat, dst_hl_stat))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samestat(src_hl_stat, dst_hl_stat))
+        self.assertEqual(src_cf_stat.st_nlink, 4)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
         self.tmp_dir.cleanup()
         shutil.rmtree(self.dst_dir, ignore_errors=True)