diff --git a/mercurial/context.py b/mercurial/context.py
--- a/mercurial/context.py
+++ b/mercurial/context.py
@@ -993,8 +993,10 @@
                 # if file data starts with '\1\n', empty metadata block is
                 # prepended, which adds 4 bytes to filelog.size().
                 return self._filelog.cmp(self._filenode, fctx.data())
-        if self.size() == fctx.size():
+        if self.size() == fctx.size() or self.flags() == b'l':
             # size() matches: need to compare content
+            # issue6456: Always compare symlinks because size can represent
+            # encrypted string for EXT-4 encryption(fscrypt).
             return self._filelog.cmp(self._filenode, fctx.data())
 
         # size() differs
diff --git a/mercurial/dirstate.py b/mercurial/dirstate.py
--- a/mercurial/dirstate.py
+++ b/mercurial/dirstate.py
@@ -1270,6 +1270,7 @@
             if not st and state in b"nma":
                 dadd(fn)
             elif state == b'n':
+                islink = (stat.S_IFLNK == (st.st_mode & stat.S_IFLNK))
                 if (
                     size >= 0
                     and (
@@ -1279,7 +1280,12 @@
                     or size == -2  # other parent
                     or fn in copymap
                 ):
-                    madd(fn)
+                    if (islink):
+                        # issue6456: Size returned may be longer due to
+                        # encryption on EXT-4 fscrypt, undecided.
+                        ladd(fn)
+                    else:
+                        madd(fn)
                 elif (
                     time != st[stat.ST_MTIME]
                     and time != st[stat.ST_MTIME] & _rangemask