diff --git a/changelog/7981.bugfix.rst b/changelog/7981.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a254b5d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/7981.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed symlinked directories not being followed during collection. Regressed in pytest 6.1.0.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/pathlib.py b/src/_pytest/pathlib.py
index dda86d6be..6054a7c46 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/pathlib.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/pathlib.py
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ def visit(
     entries = sorted(os.scandir(path), key=lambda entry: entry.name)
     yield from entries
     for entry in entries:
-        if entry.is_dir(follow_symlinks=False) and recurse(entry):
+        if entry.is_dir() and recurse(entry):
             yield from visit(entry.path, recurse)
 
 
diff --git a/testing/test_collection.py b/testing/test_collection.py
index 3e1b816b7..71908636b 100644
--- a/testing/test_collection.py
+++ b/testing/test_collection.py
@@ -1178,6 +1178,15 @@ def test_collect_symlink_out_of_tree(testdir):
     assert result.ret == 0
 
 
+def test_collect_symlink_dir(testdir: Testdir) -> None:
+    """A symlinked directory is collected."""
+    dir = testdir.mkdir("dir")
+    dir.join("test_it.py").write("def test_it(): pass")
+    symlink_or_skip(dir, testdir.tmpdir.join("symlink_dir"))
+    result = testdir.runpytest()
+    result.assert_outcomes(passed=2)
+
+
 def test_collectignore_via_conftest(testdir):
     """collect_ignore in parent conftest skips importing child (issue #4592)."""
     tests = testdir.mkpydir("tests")