diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ini_file-preserve-symlink.yml b/changelogs/fragments/ini_file-preserve-symlink.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9e49e8a11e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ini_file-preserve-symlink.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+  - "ini_file - add the ``follow`` paramter to follow the symlinks instead of replacing them (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/6546)."
diff --git a/plugins/modules/ini_file.py b/plugins/modules/ini_file.py
index 9e4c370dc5..be4a03102b 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/ini_file.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/ini_file.py
@@ -109,6 +109,13 @@ options:
       - Allow option without value and without '=' symbol.
     type: bool
     default: false
+  follow:
+    description:
+    - This flag indicates that filesystem links, if they exist, should be followed.
+    - I(follow=true) can modify I(src) when combined with parameters such as I(mode).
+    type: bool
+    default: false
+    version_added: 7.1.0
 notes:
    - While it is possible to add an I(option) without specifying a I(value), this makes no sense.
    - As of Ansible 2.3, the I(dest) option has been changed to I(path) as default, but I(dest) still works as well.
@@ -191,7 +198,7 @@ def update_section_line(changed, section_lines, index, changed_lines, newline, m
 
 def do_ini(module, filename, section=None, option=None, values=None,
            state='present', exclusive=True, backup=False, no_extra_spaces=False,
-           create=True, allow_no_value=False):
+           create=True, allow_no_value=False, follow=False):
 
     if section is not None:
         section = to_text(section)
@@ -210,15 +217,20 @@ def do_ini(module, filename, section=None, option=None, values=None,
         after_header='%s (content)' % filename,
     )
 
-    if not os.path.exists(filename):
+    if follow and os.path.islink(filename):
+        target_filename = os.path.realpath(filename)
+    else:
+        target_filename = filename
+
+    if not os.path.exists(target_filename):
         if not create:
-            module.fail_json(rc=257, msg='Destination %s does not exist!' % filename)
-        destpath = os.path.dirname(filename)
+            module.fail_json(rc=257, msg='Destination %s does not exist!' % target_filename)
+        destpath = os.path.dirname(target_filename)
         if not os.path.exists(destpath) and not module.check_mode:
             os.makedirs(destpath)
         ini_lines = []
     else:
-        with io.open(filename, 'r', encoding="utf-8-sig") as ini_file:
+        with io.open(target_filename, 'r', encoding="utf-8-sig") as ini_file:
             ini_lines = [to_text(line) for line in ini_file.readlines()]
 
     if module._diff:
@@ -404,7 +416,7 @@ def do_ini(module, filename, section=None, option=None, values=None,
     backup_file = None
     if changed and not module.check_mode:
         if backup:
-            backup_file = module.backup_local(filename)
+            backup_file = module.backup_local(target_filename)
 
         encoded_ini_lines = [to_bytes(line) for line in ini_lines]
         try:
@@ -416,10 +428,10 @@ def do_ini(module, filename, section=None, option=None, values=None,
             module.fail_json(msg="Unable to create temporary file %s", traceback=traceback.format_exc())
 
         try:
-            module.atomic_move(tmpfile, filename)
+            module.atomic_move(tmpfile, target_filename)
         except IOError:
             module.ansible.fail_json(msg='Unable to move temporary \
-                                   file %s to %s, IOError' % (tmpfile, filename), traceback=traceback.format_exc())
+                                   file %s to %s, IOError' % (tmpfile, target_filename), traceback=traceback.format_exc())
 
     return (changed, backup_file, diff, msg)
 
@@ -438,7 +450,8 @@ def main():
             exclusive=dict(type='bool', default=True),
             no_extra_spaces=dict(type='bool', default=False),
             allow_no_value=dict(type='bool', default=False),
-            create=dict(type='bool', default=True)
+            create=dict(type='bool', default=True),
+            follow=dict(type='bool', default=False)
         ),
         mutually_exclusive=[
             ['value', 'values']
@@ -458,6 +471,7 @@ def main():
     no_extra_spaces = module.params['no_extra_spaces']
     allow_no_value = module.params['allow_no_value']
     create = module.params['create']
+    follow = module.params['follow']
 
     if state == 'present' and not allow_no_value and value is None and not values:
         module.fail_json(msg="Parameter 'value(s)' must be defined if state=present and allow_no_value=False.")
@@ -467,7 +481,7 @@ def main():
     elif values is None:
         values = []
 
-    (changed, backup_file, diff, msg) = do_ini(module, path, section, option, values, state, exclusive, backup, no_extra_spaces, create, allow_no_value)
+    (changed, backup_file, diff, msg) = do_ini(module, path, section, option, values, state, exclusive, backup, no_extra_spaces, create, allow_no_value, follow)
 
     if not module.check_mode and os.path.exists(path):
         file_args = module.load_file_common_arguments(module.params)
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/tests/04-symlink.yml b/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/tests/04-symlink.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..de677bffad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/tests/04-symlink.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+---
+# Copyright (c) Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+- block: &prepare
+  - name: Create the final file
+    ansible.builtin.copy:
+      content: |
+        [main]
+        foo=BAR
+      dest: my_original_file.ini
+  - name: Clean up symlink.ini
+    ansible.builtin.file:
+      path: symlink.ini
+      state: absent
+  - name: Create a symbolic link
+    ansible.builtin.file:
+      src: my_original_file.ini
+      dest: symlink.ini
+      state: link
+
+- name: Set the proxy key on the symlink which will be converted as a file
+  community.general.ini_file:
+    path: symlink.ini
+    section: main
+    option: proxy
+    value: 'http://proxy.myorg.org:3128'
+- name: Set the proxy key on the final file that is still unchanged
+  community.general.ini_file:
+    path: my_original_file.ini
+    section: main
+    option: proxy
+    value: 'http://proxy.myorg.org:3128'
+  register: result
+- ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - result is changed
+
+# With follow
+- block: *prepare
+- name: Set the proxy key on the symlink which will be preserved
+  community.general.ini_file:
+    path: symlink.ini
+    section: main
+    option: proxy
+    value: 'http://proxy.myorg.org:3128'
+    follow: true
+  register: result
+- name: Set the proxy key on the target directly that was changed in the previous step
+  community.general.ini_file:
+    path: my_original_file.ini
+    section: main
+    option: proxy
+    value: 'http://proxy.myorg.org:3128'
+  register: result
+- ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - "not (result is changed)"