diff --git a/misc/cgo/life/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/life/overlaydir_test.go
index a25b125c7c3..034c836248d 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/life/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/life/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/stdio/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/stdio/overlaydir_test.go
index 5d6858f9605..027ebf17c3f 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/stdio/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/stdio/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/test/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/test/overlaydir_test.go
index cad9577ca11..f651979b657 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/test/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/test/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/testcarchive/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/testcarchive/overlaydir_test.go
index ee35dd50f7b..67974c5ed8d 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/testcarchive/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/testcarchive/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/testcshared/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/testcshared/overlaydir_test.go
index 0c23ec0c15a..85d6b44eef5 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/testcshared/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/testcshared/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/testplugin/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/testplugin/overlaydir_test.go
index ffb107cf8bd..e2c32d83ce1 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/testplugin/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/testplugin/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/testshared/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/testshared/overlaydir_test.go
index 3a7c9b04a04..eb587a2d44d 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/testshared/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/testshared/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/testso/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/testso/overlaydir_test.go
index 91732d123dc..09a1d512f1e 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/testso/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/testso/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/testsovar/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/cgo/testsovar/overlaydir_test.go
index 91732d123dc..09a1d512f1e 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/testsovar/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/testsovar/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	symBase, err := filepath.Rel(srcRoot, dstRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
-		symBase, err = filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return filepath.Walk(srcRoot, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
@@ -52,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 
diff --git a/misc/reboot/overlaydir_test.go b/misc/reboot/overlaydir_test.go
index 6e77b2e97b7..c446d0891cf 100644
--- a/misc/reboot/overlaydir_test.go
+++ b/misc/reboot/overlaydir_test.go
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// If we don't use the absolute path here, exec'ing make.bash fails with
-	// “too many levels of symbolic links”.
-	symBase, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
+	srcRoot, err := filepath.Abs(srcRoot)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -51,11 +49,11 @@ func overlayDir(dstRoot, srcRoot string) error {
 		// Always copy directories (don't symlink them).
 		// If we add a file in the overlay, we don't want to add it in the original.
 		if info.IsDir() {
-			return os.Mkdir(dstPath, perm|0200)
+			return os.MkdirAll(dstPath, perm|0200)
 		}
 
 		// If the OS supports symlinks, use them instead of copying bytes.
-		if err := os.Symlink(filepath.Join(symBase, suffix), dstPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Symlink(srcPath, dstPath); err == nil {
 			return nil
 		}