diff --git a/python2/pyinotify.py b/python2/pyinotify.py
index 2dae002..1872d92 100755
--- a/python2/pyinotify.py
+++ b/python2/pyinotify.py
@@ -1924,8 +1924,8 @@ def add_watch(self, path, mask, proc_fun=None, rec=False,
         @type proc_fun: function or ProcessEvent instance or instance of
                         one of its subclasses or callable object.
         @param rec: Recursively add watches from path on all its
-                    subdirectories, set to False by default (doesn't
-                    follows symlinks in any case).
+                    subdirectories, set to False by default (follows 
+                        symlinks).
         @type rec: bool
         @param auto_add: Automatically add watches on newly created
                          directories in watched parent |path| directory.
@@ -1956,17 +1956,19 @@ def add_watch(self, path, mask, proc_fun=None, rec=False,
         if exclude_filter is None:
             exclude_filter = self._exclude_filter
 
+        all_paths = set()
         # normalize args as list elements
         for npath in self.__format_param(path):
             # unix pathname pattern expansion
             for apath in self.__glob(npath, do_glob):
                 # recursively list subdirs according to rec param
                 for rpath in self.__walk_rec(apath, rec):
-                    if not exclude_filter(rpath):
+                    if not exclude_filter(rpath) and rpath not in all_path:
                         wd = ret_[rpath] = self.__add_watch(rpath, mask,
                                                             proc_fun,
                                                             auto_add,
                                                             exclude_filter)
+                        all_paths.add(rpath)
                         if wd < 0:
                             err = ('add_watch: cannot watch %s WD=%d, %s' % \
                                        (rpath, wd,
@@ -2132,7 +2134,7 @@ def get_path(self, wd):
 
     def __walk_rec(self, top, rec):
         """
-        Yields each subdirectories of top, doesn't follow symlinks.
+        Yields each subdirectories of top, follows symlinks.
         If rec is false, only yield top.
 
         @param top: root directory.
@@ -2142,10 +2144,10 @@ def __walk_rec(self, top, rec):
         @return: path of one subdirectory.
         @rtype: string
         """
-        if not rec or os.path.islink(top) or not os.path.isdir(top):
+        if not rec or not os.path.isdir(top):
             yield top
         else:
-            for root, dirs, files in os.walk(top):
+            for root, dirs, files in os.walk(top, followlinks=True):
                 yield root
 
     def rm_watch(self, wd, rec=False, quiet=True):
diff --git a/python3/pyinotify.py b/python3/pyinotify.py
index df4034a..07c7355 100755
--- a/python3/pyinotify.py
+++ b/python3/pyinotify.py
@@ -1901,8 +1901,8 @@ def add_watch(self, path, mask, proc_fun=None, rec=False,
         @type proc_fun: function or ProcessEvent instance or instance of
                         one of its subclasses or callable object.
         @param rec: Recursively add watches from path on all its
-                    subdirectories, set to False by default (doesn't
-                    follows symlinks in any case).
+                    subdirectories, set to False by default (follows 
+                        symlinks).
         @type rec: bool
         @param auto_add: Automatically add watches on newly created
                          directories in watched parent |path| directory.
@@ -1932,6 +1932,7 @@ def add_watch(self, path, mask, proc_fun=None, rec=False,
         if exclude_filter is None:
             exclude_filter = self._exclude_filter
 
+        all_paths = set()
         # normalize args as list elements
         for npath in self.__format_param(path):
             # Require that path be a unicode string
@@ -1943,11 +1944,12 @@ def add_watch(self, path, mask, proc_fun=None, rec=False,
             for apath in self.__glob(npath, do_glob):
                 # recursively list subdirs according to rec param
                 for rpath in self.__walk_rec(apath, rec):
-                    if not exclude_filter(rpath):
+                    if not exclude_filter(rpath) and rpath not in all_path:
                         wd = ret_[rpath] = self.__add_watch(rpath, mask,
                                                             proc_fun,
                                                             auto_add,
                                                             exclude_filter)
+                        all_paths.add(rpath)
                         if wd < 0:
                             err = ('add_watch: cannot watch %s WD=%d, %s' % \
                                        (rpath, wd,
@@ -2113,7 +2115,7 @@ def get_path(self, wd):
 
     def __walk_rec(self, top, rec):
         """
-        Yields each subdirectories of top, doesn't follow symlinks.
+        Yields each subdirectories of top, follows symlinks.
         If rec is false, only yield top.
 
         @param top: root directory.
@@ -2123,10 +2125,10 @@ def __walk_rec(self, top, rec):
         @return: path of one subdirectory.
         @rtype: string
         """
-        if not rec or os.path.islink(top) or not os.path.isdir(top):
+        if not rec or not os.path.isdir(top):
             yield top
         else:
-            for root, dirs, files in os.walk(top):
+            for root, dirs, files in os.walk(top, followlinks=True):
                 yield root
 
     def rm_watch(self, wd, rec=False, quiet=True):