diff --git a/picframe/config/configuration_example.yaml b/picframe/config/configuration_example.yaml
index 2daaf6d..3873942 100644
--- a/picframe/config/configuration_example.yaml
+++ b/picframe/config/configuration_example.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ viewer:
 model:
   pic_dir: "~/Pictures"                   # default="~/Pictures", root folder for images
   deleted_pictures: "~/DeletedPictures"   # move deleted pictures here
+  follow_links: False                     # default=False, By default, picframe will not walk down into symbolic links that resolve to directories. Set follow_links to True to visit directories pointed to by symlinks, on systems that support them.
   no_files_img: "~/picframe_data/data/no_pictures.jpg" # default="PictureFrame2020img.jpg", image to show if none selected
   subdirectory: ""                        # default="", subdir of pic_dir - can be changed by MQTT"
   recent_n: 7                             # default=7 (days), when shuffling file change date more recent than this number of days play before the rest
diff --git a/picframe/image_cache.py b/picframe/image_cache.py
index c03aa62..388cb7d 100644
--- a/picframe/image_cache.py
+++ b/picframe/image_cache.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class ImageCache:
                      'IPTC Object Name': 'title'}
 
 
-    def __init__(self, picture_dir, db_file, geo_reverse, portrait_pairs=False):
+    def __init__(self, picture_dir, follow_links, db_file, geo_reverse, portrait_pairs=False):
         # TODO these class methods will crash if Model attempts to instantiate this using a
         # different version from the latest one - should this argument be taken out?
         self.__modified_folders = []
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def __init__(self, picture_dir, db_file, geo_reverse, portrait_pairs=False):
         self.__logger = logging.getLogger("image_cache.ImageCache")
         self.__logger.debug('Creating an instance of ImageCache')
         self.__picture_dir = picture_dir
+        self.__follow_links = follow_links
         self.__db_file = db_file
         self.__geo_reverse = geo_reverse
         self.__portrait_pairs = portrait_pairs #TODO have a function to turn this on and off?
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@ def __update_schema(self, required_db_schema_version):
     def __get_modified_folders(self):
         out_of_date_folders = []
         sql_select = "SELECT * FROM folder WHERE name = ?"
-        for dir in [d[0] for d in os.walk(self.__picture_dir)]:
+        for dir in [d[0] for d in os.walk(self.__picture_dir, followlinks=self.__follow_links)]:
             mod_tm = int(os.stat(dir).st_mtime)
             found = self.__db.execute(sql_select, (dir,)).fetchone()
             if not found or found['last_modified'] < mod_tm or found['missing'] == 1:
@@ -501,7 +502,7 @@ def __get_exif_info(self, file_path_name):
 
 # If being executed (instead of imported), kick it off...
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    cache = ImageCache(picture_dir='/home/pi/Pictures', db_file='/home/pi/db.db3', geo_reverse=None)
+    cache = ImageCache(picture_dir='/home/pi/Pictures', follow_links=False, db_file='/home/pi/db.db3', geo_reverse=None)
     #cache.update_cache()
     # items = cache.query_cache("make like '%google%'", "exif_datetime asc")
     #info = cache.get_file_info(12)
diff --git a/picframe/model.py b/picframe/model.py
index a8a87a6..3cf8cb1 100644
--- a/picframe/model.py
+++ b/picframe/model.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 
         'pic_dir': '~/Pictures',
         'no_files_img': '~/picframe_data/data/no_pictures.jpg',
+        'follow_links': False,
         'subdirectory': '',
         'recent_n': 3,
         'reshuffle_num': 1,
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ def __init__(self, configfile = DEFAULT_CONFIGFILE):
         self.__load_geoloc = model_config['load_geoloc']
         self.__geo_reverse = geo_reverse.GeoReverse(model_config['geo_key'], key_list=self.get_model_config()['key_list'])
         self.__image_cache = image_cache.ImageCache(self.__pic_dir,
+                                                    model_config['follow_links'],
                                                     os.path.expanduser(model_config['db_file']),
                                                     self.__geo_reverse,
                                                     model_config['portrait_pairs'])
@@ -264,7 +266,7 @@ def get_directory_list(self):
         actual_dir = root
         if self.subdirectory != '':
             actual_dir = self.subdirectory
-        subdir_list = next(os.walk(self.__pic_dir))[1]
+        subdir_list = next(os.walk(self.__pic_dir, self.get_model_config()['follow_links']))[1]
         subdir_list[:] = [d for d in subdir_list if not d[0] == '.']
         subdir_list.insert(0,root)
         return actual_dir, subdir_list