Using the version from Emacs 20.3.10 works. I only have XEmacs 21.1.2, sorry if you've already fixed this. $ cd ~/l $ ls -l conf.c lrwxr-xr-x 1 jas usr 9 Jun 13 22:14 conf.c -> ../conf.c M-x cd RET ~/l RET C-: (file-chase-links "conf.c") RET Signaling: (wrong-type-argument stringp nil) directory-file-name(nil) file-chase-links("conf.c") eval((file-chase-links "conf.c")) #<compiled-function (expression &optional eval-expression-insert-value) "...(26)" [eval expression values prin1 eval-expression-insert-value t] 3 729997 (list (read-from-minibuffer "Eval: " nil read-expression-map t ...) current-prefix-arg)>((file-chase-links "conf.c") nil) call-interactively(eval-expression)