diff --git a/internal/chart/v3/loader/directory.go b/internal/chart/v3/loader/directory.go
index 535468dd1..bb8c44595 100644
--- a/internal/chart/v3/loader/directory.go
+++ b/internal/chart/v3/loader/directory.go
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ func loadDir(dir string, budget int64) (*chart.Chart, error) {
 		n = filepath.ToSlash(n)
 
 		if err != nil {
+			// A symlink that cannot be resolved is skipped only if a
+			// .helmignore rule matches it.
+			if fi != nil && sympath.IsSymlink(fi) && rules.Ignore(n, fi) {
+				return nil
+			}
 			return err
 		}
 		if fi.IsDir() {
diff --git a/internal/sympath/walk.go b/internal/sympath/walk.go
index b54b97ad4..7f5dfe721 100644
--- a/internal/sympath/walk.go
+++ b/internal/sympath/walk.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func symwalk(path string, info os.FileInfo, walkFn filepath.WalkFunc) error {
 	if IsSymlink(info) {
 		resolved, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(path)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("error evaluating symlink %s: %w", path, err)
+			return walkFn(path, info, fmt.Errorf("error evaluating symlink %s: %w", path, 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/directory.go b/pkg/chart/v2/loader/directory.go
index bfc649f2a..92250d700 100644
--- a/pkg/chart/v2/loader/directory.go
+++ b/pkg/chart/v2/loader/directory.go
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ func loadDir(dir string, budget int64) (*chart.Chart, error) {
 		n = filepath.ToSlash(n)
 
 		if err != nil {
+			// A symlink that cannot be resolved is skipped only if a
+			// .helmignore rule matches it.
+			if fi != nil && sympath.IsSymlink(fi) && rules.Ignore(n, fi) {
+				return nil
+			}
 			return err
 		}
 		if fi.IsDir() {
diff --git a/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go b/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go
index 5af88b341..eaad86f5c 100644
--- a/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go
+++ b/pkg/chart/v2/loader/load_test.go
@@ -90,6 +90,36 @@ func TestLoadDirWithSymlink(t *testing.T) {
 	verifyDependenciesLock(t, c)
 }
 
+func TestLoadDirWithBrokenSymlink(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		helmignore string
+		wantErr    bool
+	}{
+		{"not ignored", "", true},
+		{"ignored by .helmignore", "bar\n", false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			dir := t.TempDir()
+			require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "Chart.yaml"), []byte("apiVersion: v2\nname: test\nversion: 0.1.0\n"), 0o644))
+			require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, ".helmignore"), []byte(tt.helmignore), 0o644))
+			require.NoError(t, os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(dir, "templates"), 0o755))
+			require.NoError(t, os.Symlink("foo", filepath.Join(dir, "templates", "bar")))
+
+			c, err := LoadDir(dir)
+			if tt.wantErr {
+				require.Error(t, err)
+				assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "error evaluating symlink")
+				return
+			}
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, "test", c.Name())
+			assert.Empty(t, c.Templates)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBomTestData(t *testing.T) {
 	testFiles := []string{"frobnitz_with_bom/.helmignore", "frobnitz_with_bom/templates/template.tpl", "frobnitz_with_bom/Chart.yaml"}
 	for _, file := range testFiles {