diff --git a/shelltests/powershell_release/rebar.config b/shelltests/powershell_release/rebar.config
index aff3b4e7f..19ab18a10 100644
--- a/shelltests/powershell_release/rebar.config
+++ b/shelltests/powershell_release/rebar.config
@@ -8,3 +8,5 @@
         {extended_start_script, true},
         {start_script_type, "powershell"}]
 }.
+
+{profiles, [{dev, [{relx, [{dev_mode, true}]}]}]}.
diff --git a/shelltests/wintest.ps1 b/shelltests/wintest.ps1
index bd72efaa8..8d51ca885 100644
--- a/shelltests/wintest.ps1
+++ b/shelltests/wintest.ps1
@@ -45,7 +45,12 @@ Pop-Location
 ""
 
 # Function to run rebar3
-function Rebar() { & $erlpath\bin\escript.exe "$rebar3_dir\rebar3" @args }
+function Rebar() {
+    & $erlpath\bin\escript.exe "$rebar3_dir\rebar3" @args
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+        Write-Error "rebar3 ${args} exited with status $LASTEXITCODE"
+    }
+}
 
 # Our release source
 Set-Location ".\$release\"
@@ -54,25 +59,45 @@ Set-Location ".\$release\"
 Rebar release
 ""
 
+"*** Rebuild dev release (test for symlink issues)"
+Rebar as dev release
+Rebar as dev release
+""
+
 # Go to release
 Set-Location "_build\default\rel\$release\bin"
 
 "*** Install service"
 & ".\$release.ps1" install
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+    Write-Error "Failed to install service"
+}
 ""
 
 "*** Start service"
 & ".\$release.ps1" start
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+    Write-Error "Failed to start service"
+}
 ""
 
 "*** Ping service"
 & ".\$release.ps1" ping
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+    Write-Error "Failed to ping service"
+}
 ""
 
 "*** Stop service"
 & ".\$release.ps1" stop
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+    Write-Error "Failed to stop service"
+}
 ""
 
 "*** Uninstall service"
 & ".\$release.ps1" uninstall
-""
\ No newline at end of file
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+    Write-Error "Failed to uninstall service"
+}
+""
diff --git a/src/rlx_file_utils.erl b/src/rlx_file_utils.erl
index 5f489de40..9f36b88c1 100644
--- a/src/rlx_file_utils.erl
+++ b/src/rlx_file_utils.erl
@@ -295,24 +295,31 @@ sub_files(From) ->
     {ok, SubFiles} = file:list_dir(From),
     [filename:join(From, SubFile) || SubFile <- SubFiles].
 
-%% @doc delete a file. Use the recursive option for directories.
+%% @doc delete a file. Use the recursive option for whole directory trees.
 -spec remove(file:name(), [] | [recursive]) -> ok | {error, term()}.
 remove(Path, Options) ->
     case lists:member(recursive, Options) of
-        false -> file:delete(Path);
+        false -> remove(Path);
         true  -> remove_recursive(Path, Options)
     end.
 
-%% @doc delete a file.
+%% @doc delete a file or directory, including symlinks and junctions
 -spec remove(file:name()) -> ok | {error, term()}.
 remove(Path) ->
-    remove(Path, []).
+    case is_symlink(Path) of
+        true -> remove_symlink(Path);
+        false ->
+            case is_dir(Path) of
+                true -> file:del_dir(Path);
+                false -> file:delete(Path)
+            end
+    end.
 
 -spec remove_recursive(file:name(), list()) -> ok | {error, term()}.
 remove_recursive(Path, Options) ->
     case is_dir(Path) of
         false ->
-            file:delete(Path);
+            remove(Path);
         true ->
             lists:foreach(fun(ChildPath) ->
                                   remove_recursive(ChildPath, Options)
@@ -320,6 +327,20 @@ remove_recursive(Path, Options) ->
             file:del_dir(Path)
     end.
 
+-spec remove_symlink(file:name()) -> ok | {error, term()}.
+remove_symlink(Path) ->
+    case os:type() of
+        {win32, _} ->
+            % On windows we remove symlinks and junctions differently if they refer to directories.
+            case filelib:is_dir(Path) of
+                true -> file:del_dir(Path);
+                false -> file:delete(Path)
+            end;
+        _ ->
+            % On other systems we use can use file:delete() in all cases.
+            file:delete(Path)
+    end.
+
 %% returns the path for printing to logs. if get_cwd succeeds it
 %% attempts to return the relative path. It falls back on juts
 %% returning the original path.