diff --git a/internal/chart/v3/loader/load_test.go b/internal/chart/v3/loader/load_test.go
index 8f14d56f1..70d30b645 100644
--- a/internal/chart/v3/loader/load_test.go
+++ b/internal/chart/v3/loader/load_test.go
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ version: 0.1.0
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if _, err := l.Load(); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("loading chart with broken symlink not in .helmignore should fail")
+	if _, err := l.Load(); err == nil || !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected broken symlink error (os.IsNotExist), got: %v", err)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/sympath/walk.go b/internal/sympath/walk.go
index 8eca7da47..0da7b1fc8 100644
--- a/internal/sympath/walk.go
+++ b/internal/sympath/walk.go
@@ -67,13 +67,9 @@ func symwalk(path string, info os.FileInfo, walkFn filepath.WalkFunc) error {
 	if IsSymlink(info) {
 		resolved, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(path)
 		if err != nil {
-			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-				// Pass the broken symlink error to walkFn so callers
-				// (e.g. chart loaders) can decide whether to skip it
-				// based on .helmignore rules.
-				return walkFn(path, info, err)
-			}
-			return err
+			// Pass the error to walkFn so callers (e.g. chart loaders)
+			// can decide whether to skip it based on .helmignore rules.
+			return walkFn(path, info, err)
 		}
 		// This log message is to highlight a symlink that is being used within a chart, symlinks can be used for nefarious reasons.
 		slog.Info("found symbolic link in path. Contents of linked file included and used", "path", path, "resolved", resolved)
diff --git a/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go b/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go
index 8f61b3632..33893450d 100644
--- a/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go
+++ b/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ version: 0.1.0
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if _, err := l.Load(); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("loading chart with broken symlink not in .helmignore should fail")
+	if _, err := l.Load(); err == nil || !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected broken symlink error (os.IsNotExist), got: %v", err)
 	}
 }