diff --git a/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js b/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js
index 091f198..0868dbd 100644
--- a/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js
+++ b/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js
@@ -641,22 +641,7 @@ class DirectoryWatcher extends EventEmitter {
 						itemFinished();
 						return;
 					};
-					const handleStats = (err2, stats) => {
-						if (this.closed) return;
-						if (err2) {
-							handleStatsError(err2);
-						}
-						let symlinkStats;
-						if (
-							stats.isSymbolicLink() &&
-							this.watcherManager.options.followSymlinks
-						) {
-							try {
-								symlinkStats = fs.statSync(itemPath);
-							} catch (err3) {
-								handleStatsError(err3);
-							}
-						}
+					const handleStats = (stats, symlinkStats) => {
 						if (stats.isFile() || stats.isSymbolicLink()) {
 							if (stats.mtime) {
 								ensureFsAccuracy(stats.mtime);
@@ -683,7 +668,28 @@ class DirectoryWatcher extends EventEmitter {
 						}
 						itemFinished();
 					};
-					fs.lstat(itemPath, handleStats);
+					fs.lstat(itemPath, (err2, stats) => {
+						if (this.closed) return;
+						if (err2) {
+							handleStatsError(err2);
+							return;
+						}
+						if (
+							stats.isSymbolicLink() &&
+							this.watcherManager.options.followSymlinks
+						) {
+							fs.stat(itemPath, (err3, symlinkStats) => {
+								if (this.closed) return;
+								if (err3) {
+									handleStatsError(err3);
+									return;
+								}
+								handleStats(stats, symlinkStats);
+							});
+						} else {
+							handleStats(stats);
+						}
+					});
 				}
 				itemFinished();
 			});