diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs
index 4c4df922b3799..fd9bf47234c63 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/compile.rs
@@ -1777,7 +1777,13 @@ impl Step for Assemble {
                     // When using `download-ci-llvm`, some of the tools
                     // may not exist, so skip trying to copy them.
                     if src_path.exists() {
-                        builder.copy_link(&src_path, &libdir_bin.join(&tool_exe));
+                        // There is a chance that these tools are being installed from an external LLVM.
+                        // Use `Builder::resolve_symlink_and_copy` instead of `Builder::copy_link` to ensure
+                        // we are copying the original file not the symlinked path, which causes issues for
+                        // tarball distribution.
+                        //
+                        // See /~https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/135554.
+                        builder.resolve_symlink_and_copy(&src_path, &libdir_bin.join(&tool_exe));
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs
index ebe2c332258d7..482e23cd04c31 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/lib.rs
@@ -1633,6 +1633,14 @@ Executed at: {executed_at}"#,
         paths
     }
 
+    /// Copies a file from `src` to `dst`.
+    ///
+    /// If `src` is a symlink, `src` will be resolved to the actual path
+    /// and copied to `dst` instead of the symlink itself.
+    pub fn resolve_symlink_and_copy(&self, src: &Path, dst: &Path) {
+        self.copy_link_internal(src, dst, true);
+    }
+
     /// Links a file from `src` to `dst`.
     /// Attempts to use hard links if possible, falling back to copying.
     /// You can neither rely on this being a copy nor it being a link,