diff --git a/manifest_xml.py b/manifest_xml.py
index 3c8fadd..e2f58e6 100644
--- a/manifest_xml.py
+++ b/manifest_xml.py
@@ -261,6 +261,12 @@
         ce.setAttribute('dest', c.dest)
         e.appendChild(ce)
 
+      for l in p.linkfiles:
+        le = doc.createElement('linkfile')
+        le.setAttribute('src', l.src)
+        le.setAttribute('dest', l.dest)
+        e.appendChild(le)
+
       default_groups = ['all', 'name:%s' % p.name, 'path:%s' % p.relpath]
       egroups = [g for g in p.groups if g not in default_groups]
       if egroups:
@@ -765,6 +771,8 @@
     for n in node.childNodes:
       if n.nodeName == 'copyfile':
         self._ParseCopyFile(project, n)
+      if n.nodeName == 'linkfile':
+        self._ParseLinkFile(project, n)
       if n.nodeName == 'annotation':
         self._ParseAnnotation(project, n)
       if n.nodeName == 'project':
@@ -814,6 +822,14 @@
       # dest is relative to the top of the tree
       project.AddCopyFile(src, dest, os.path.join(self.topdir, dest))
 
+  def _ParseLinkFile(self, project, node):
+    src = self._reqatt(node, 'src')
+    dest = self._reqatt(node, 'dest')
+    if not self.IsMirror:
+      # src is project relative;
+      # dest is relative to the top of the tree
+      project.AddLinkFile(src, dest, os.path.join(self.topdir, dest))
+
   def _ParseAnnotation(self, project, node):
     name = self._reqatt(node, 'name')
     value = self._reqatt(node, 'value')
diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index 876b86a..0f11096 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -231,6 +231,30 @@
       except IOError:
         _error('Cannot copy file %s to %s', src, dest)
 
+class _LinkFile:
+  def __init__(self, src, dest, abssrc, absdest):
+    self.src = src
+    self.dest = dest
+    self.abs_src = abssrc
+    self.abs_dest = absdest
+
+  def _Link(self):
+    src = self.abs_src
+    dest = self.abs_dest
+    # link file if it does not exist or is out of date
+    if not os.path.islink(dest) or os.readlink(dest) != src:
+      try:
+        # remove existing file first, since it might be read-only
+        if os.path.exists(dest):
+          os.remove(dest)
+        else:
+          dest_dir = os.path.dirname(dest)
+          if not os.path.isdir(dest_dir):
+            os.makedirs(dest_dir)
+        os.symlink(src, dest)
+      except IOError:
+        _error('Cannot link file %s to %s', src, dest)
+
 class RemoteSpec(object):
   def __init__(self,
                name,
@@ -555,6 +579,7 @@
 
     self.snapshots = {}
     self.copyfiles = []
+    self.linkfiles = []
     self.annotations = []
     self.config = GitConfig.ForRepository(
                     gitdir = self.gitdir,
@@ -1040,7 +1065,7 @@
       except OSError as e:
         print("warn: Cannot remove archive %s: "
               "%s" % (tarpath, str(e)), file=sys.stderr)
-      self._CopyFiles()
+      self._CopyAndLinkFiles()
       return True
 
     if is_new is None:
@@ -1103,9 +1128,11 @@
   def PostRepoUpgrade(self):
     self._InitHooks()
 
-  def _CopyFiles(self):
+  def _CopyAndLinkFiles(self):
     for copyfile in self.copyfiles:
       copyfile._Copy()
+    for linkfile in self.linkfiles:
+      linkfile._Link()
 
   def GetCommitRevisionId(self):
     """Get revisionId of a commit.
@@ -1152,7 +1179,7 @@
 
     def _doff():
       self._FastForward(revid)
-      self._CopyFiles()
+      self._CopyAndLinkFiles()
 
     head = self.work_git.GetHead()
     if head.startswith(R_HEADS):
@@ -1188,7 +1215,7 @@
       except GitError as e:
         syncbuf.fail(self, e)
         return
-      self._CopyFiles()
+      self._CopyAndLinkFiles()
       return
 
     if head == revid:
@@ -1210,7 +1237,7 @@
       except GitError as e:
         syncbuf.fail(self, e)
         return
-      self._CopyFiles()
+      self._CopyAndLinkFiles()
       return
 
     upstream_gain = self._revlist(not_rev(HEAD), revid)
@@ -1283,12 +1310,12 @@
     if cnt_mine > 0 and self.rebase:
       def _dorebase():
         self._Rebase(upstream = '%s^1' % last_mine, onto = revid)
-        self._CopyFiles()
+        self._CopyAndLinkFiles()
       syncbuf.later2(self, _dorebase)
     elif local_changes:
       try:
         self._ResetHard(revid)
-        self._CopyFiles()
+        self._CopyAndLinkFiles()
       except GitError as e:
         syncbuf.fail(self, e)
         return
@@ -1301,6 +1328,12 @@
     abssrc = os.path.join(self.worktree, src)
     self.copyfiles.append(_CopyFile(src, dest, abssrc, absdest))
 
+  def AddLinkFile(self, src, dest, absdest):
+    # dest should already be an absolute path, but src is project relative
+    # make src an absolute path
+    abssrc = os.path.join(self.worktree, src)
+    self.linkfiles.append(_LinkFile(src, dest, abssrc, absdest))
+
   def AddAnnotation(self, name, value, keep):
     self.annotations.append(_Annotation(name, value, keep))
 
@@ -2201,7 +2234,7 @@
       if GitCommand(self, cmd).Wait() != 0:
         raise GitError("cannot initialize work tree")
 
-      self._CopyFiles()
+      self._CopyAndLinkFiles()
 
   def _gitdir_path(self, path):
     return os.path.realpath(os.path.join(self.gitdir, path))
diff --git a/repo b/repo
index 768f11f..b8c414b 100755
--- a/repo
+++ b/repo
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@
 import optparse
 import os
 import re
+import shutil
 import stat
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -741,12 +742,7 @@
       try:
         _Init(args)
       except CloneFailure:
-        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(repodir, topdown=False):
-          for name in files:
-            os.remove(os.path.join(root, name))
-          for name in dirs:
-            os.rmdir(os.path.join(root, name))
-        os.rmdir(repodir)
+        shutil.rmtree(repodir, ignore_errors=True)
         sys.exit(1)
       repo_main, rel_repo_dir = _FindRepo()
     else: