diff --git a/src/maestral/main.py b/src/maestral/main.py
index 0202d44b5..70c0df5de 100644
--- a/src/maestral/main.py
+++ b/src/maestral/main.py
@@ -211,9 +211,6 @@ def __init__(
 
     @staticmethod
     def _check_system_compatibility() -> None:
-        if os.stat not in os.supports_follow_symlinks:
-            raise RuntimeError("Maestral requires lstat support")
-
         if not (IS_MACOS or IS_LINUX):
             raise RuntimeError("Only macOS and Linux are supported")
 
diff --git a/src/maestral/utils/path.py b/src/maestral/utils/path.py
index eeae285aa..49efc49c1 100644
--- a/src/maestral/utils/path.py
+++ b/src/maestral/utils/path.py
@@ -370,7 +370,9 @@ def move(
         also a folder.
     :param raise_error: Whether to raise errors or return them.
     :param preserve_dest_permissions: Whether to apply the permissions of the source
-        path to the destination path. Permissions will not be set recursively.
+        path to the destination path. Permissions will not be set recursively and may
+        will be set for symlinks if this is not supported by the platform, i.e., if
+        ``os.chmod not in os.supports_follow_symlinks``.
     :returns: Any caught exception during the move.
     """
     err: Optional[OSError] = None
@@ -380,7 +382,7 @@ def move(
         # save dest permissions
         try:
             orig_mode = os.lstat(dest_path).st_mode & 0o777
-        except FileNotFoundError:
+        except (FileNotFoundError, NotADirectoryError):
             pass
 
     try:
@@ -392,12 +394,11 @@ def move(
         err = exc
     else:
         if orig_mode:
-            # reapply dest permissions
+            # Reapply dest permissions. If the dest is a symlink, only apply permissions
+            # if this is supported for symlinks by the platform.
             try:
                 if os.chmod in os.supports_follow_symlinks:
                     os.chmod(dest_path, orig_mode, follow_symlinks=False)
-                else:
-                    os.chmod(dest_path, orig_mode)
             except OSError:
                 pass
 
@@ -530,36 +531,32 @@ def opener_no_symlink(path: _AnyPath, flags: int) -> int:
     return os.open(path, flags=flags)
 
 
-def _get_stats_no_symlink(path: _AnyPath) -> Optional[os.stat_result]:
-    try:
-        return os.lstat(path)
-    except (FileNotFoundError, NotADirectoryError):
-        return None
-
-
 def exists(path: _AnyPath) -> bool:
     """Returns whether an item exists at the path. Returns True for symlinks."""
-    return _get_stats_no_symlink(path) is not None
+    try:
+        os.lstat(path)
+    except (FileNotFoundError, NotADirectoryError):
+        return False
+    else:
+        return True
 
 
 def isfile(path: _AnyPath) -> bool:
     """Returns whether a file exists at the path. Returns True for symlinks."""
-    stat = _get_stats_no_symlink(path)
-
-    if stat is None:
-        return False
-    else:
+    try:
+        stat = os.lstat(path)
         return not S_ISDIR(stat.st_mode)
+    except (FileNotFoundError, NotADirectoryError):
+        return False
 
 
 def isdir(path: _AnyPath) -> bool:
     """Returns whether a folder exists at the path. Returns False for symlinks."""
-    stat = _get_stats_no_symlink(path)
-
-    if stat is None:
-        return False
-    else:
+    try:
+        stat = os.lstat(path)
         return S_ISDIR(stat.st_mode)
+    except (FileNotFoundError, NotADirectoryError):
+        return False
 
 
 def getsize(path: _AnyPath) -> int:
diff --git a/tests/linked/integration/test_sync.py b/tests/linked/integration/test_sync.py
index 07f3cfb45..2698d3d09 100644
--- a/tests/linked/integration/test_sync.py
+++ b/tests/linked/integration/test_sync.py
@@ -450,6 +450,10 @@ def test_excluded_folder_cleared_on_deletion(m: Maestral) -> None:
     assert_no_errors(m)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    os.chmod not in os.supports_follow_symlinks,
+    reason="chmod does not support follow_symlinks=False",
+)
 def test_unix_permissions(m: Maestral) -> None:
     """
     Tests that a newly downloaded file is created with default permissions for our