diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/header.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/header.rs
index 1fa31181fd5..6a889d27793 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/header.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/header.rs
@@ -1146,11 +1146,9 @@ fn expand_variables(mut value: String, config: &Config) -> String {
     }
 
     if value.contains(RUST_SRC_BASE) {
-        let src_base = config
-            .sysroot_base
-            .join("lib/rustlib/src/rust")
-            .read_link()
-            .expect("lib/rustlib/src/rust in target is a symlink to checkout root");
+        let src_base = config.sysroot_base.join("lib/rustlib/src/rust");
+        src_base.try_exists().expect(&*format!("{} should exists", src_base.display()));
+        let src_base = src_base.read_link().unwrap_or(src_base);
         value = value.replace(RUST_SRC_BASE, &src_base.to_string_lossy());
     }
 
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs
index 1a1cc86e2de..922492e451f 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs
@@ -2311,12 +2311,9 @@ fn normalize_output(&self, output: &str, custom_rules: &[(String, String)]) -> S
         normalize_path(parent_build_dir, "$BUILD_DIR");
 
         // Real paths into the libstd/libcore
-        let rust_src_dir = &self
-            .config
-            .sysroot_base
-            .join("lib/rustlib/src/rust")
-            .read_link()
-            .expect("lib/rustlib/src/rust in target is a symlink to checkout root");
+        let rust_src_dir = &self.config.sysroot_base.join("lib/rustlib/src/rust");
+        rust_src_dir.try_exists().expect(&*format!("{} should exists", rust_src_dir.display()));
+        let rust_src_dir = rust_src_dir.read_link().unwrap_or(rust_src_dir.to_path_buf());
         normalize_path(&rust_src_dir.join("library"), "$SRC_DIR_REAL");
 
         if json {