diff --git a/src/common/filesystembase.cpp b/src/common/filesystembase.cpp
index 765b081bff..8371cc3360 100644
--- a/src/common/filesystembase.cpp
+++ b/src/common/filesystembase.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ void FileSystem::setFileReadOnly(const QString &filename, bool readonly)
         {
             qCWarning(lcFileSystem()) << filename << (readonly ? "readonly" : "read write") << e.what();
         }
+        return;
     }
 #endif
     QFile file(filename);
diff --git a/src/gui/tray/activitylistmodel.cpp b/src/gui/tray/activitylistmodel.cpp
index f2fc26ba1e..47cc441f6c 100644
--- a/src/gui/tray/activitylistmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/tray/activitylistmodel.cpp
@@ -275,9 +275,9 @@ QVariant ActivityListModel::data(const QModelIndex &index, int role) const
     case DisplayPathRole:
         return getDisplayPath();
     case PathRole:
-        return QFileInfo(getFilePath()).path();
+        return getFilePath();
     case OpenablePathRole:
-        return a._isMultiObjectActivity ? QFileInfo(getFilePath()).canonicalPath() : QFileInfo(getFilePath()).canonicalFilePath();
+        return getFilePath();
     case DisplayLocationRole:
         return displayLocation();
     case ActionsLinksRole: {
diff --git a/src/libsync/discovery.cpp b/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
index 7300a4c5f9..f4a98b5182 100644
--- a/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
@@ -1193,11 +1193,7 @@ void ProcessDirectoryJob::processFileAnalyzeLocalInfo(
                 item->_direction = SyncFileItem::Down;
                 item->_instruction = CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_SYNC;
                 const auto pinState = _discoveryData->_syncOptions._vfs->pinState(path._local);
-                if (FileSystem::isLnkFile(path._local) && !_discoveryData->_syncOptions._vfs->pinState(path._local).isValid()) {
-                    item->_type = ItemTypeVirtualFileDownload;
-                } else {
-                    item->_type = ItemTypeVirtualFileDehydration;
-                }
+                item->_type = ItemTypeVirtualFileDehydration;
             } else if (!serverModified
                 && (dbEntry._inode != localEntry.inode
                     || (localEntry.isMetadataMissing && item->_type == ItemTypeFile && !FileSystem::isLnkFile(item->_file))
@@ -1735,6 +1731,15 @@ void ProcessDirectoryJob::processFileFinalize(
         item->_instruction = CSyncEnums::CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_UPDATE_VFS_METADATA;
     }
 
+    if (_discoveryData->_syncOptions._vfs &&
+        (item->_type == CSyncEnums::ItemTypeFile || item->_type == CSyncEnums::ItemTypeDirectory) &&
+        item->_instruction == CSyncEnums::CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NONE &&
+        FileSystem::isLnkFile((_discoveryData->_localDir + path._local))) {
+        item->_instruction = CSyncEnums::CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_SYNC;
+        item->_direction = SyncFileItem::Down;
+        item->_type = CSyncEnums::ItemTypeVirtualFileDehydration;
+    }
+
     if (path._original != path._target && (item->_instruction == CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_UPDATE_VFS_METADATA || item->_instruction == CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_UPDATE_METADATA || item->_instruction == CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NONE)) {
         ASSERT(_dirItem && _dirItem->_instruction == CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_RENAME);
         // This is because otherwise subitems are not updated!  (ideally renaming a directory could
diff --git a/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp b/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp
index 9fcc3988fb..b6474ea54d 100644
--- a/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp
@@ -498,6 +498,13 @@ void PropagateDownloadFile::startAfterIsEncryptedIsChecked()
         }
 
         qCDebug(lcPropagateDownload) << "dehydrating file" << _item->_file;
+        if (FileSystem::isLnkFile(fsPath)) {
+            const auto convertResult = vfs->convertToPlaceholder(fsPath, *_item);
+            if (!convertResult) {
+                qCCritical(lcPropagateDownload()) << "error when converting a shortcut file to placeholder" << convertResult.error();
+            }
+        }
+
         auto r = vfs->dehydratePlaceholder(*_item);
         if (!r) {
             done(SyncFileItem::NormalError, r.error(), ErrorCategory::GenericError);
diff --git a/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp b/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp
index bcdf5a4697..b57a4ede46 100644
--- a/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ void PropagateLocalRemove::start()
     }
 
     QString removeError;
-    if (_moveToTrash) {
+    const auto availability = propagator()->syncOptions()._vfs->availability(_item->_file, Vfs::AvailabilityRecursivity::RecursiveAvailability);
+    if (_moveToTrash && (!availability || (*availability != VfsItemAvailability::AllDehydrated && *availability != VfsItemAvailability::OnlineOnly && *availability != VfsItemAvailability::Mixed))) {
         if ((QDir(filename).exists() || FileSystem::fileExists(filename))
             && !FileSystem::moveToTrash(filename, &removeError)) {
             done(SyncFileItem::NormalError, removeError, ErrorCategory::GenericError);
@@ -228,8 +229,6 @@ void PropagateLocalMkdir::startLocalMkdir()
 #if !defined(Q_OS_MACOS) || __MAC_OS_X_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED >= MAC_OS_X_VERSION_10_15
     if (!_item->_remotePerm.isNull() &&
         !_item->_remotePerm.hasPermission(RemotePermissions::CanAddFile) &&
-        !_item->_remotePerm.hasPermission(RemotePermissions::CanRename) &&
-        !_item->_remotePerm.hasPermission(RemotePermissions::CanMove) &&
         !_item->_remotePerm.hasPermission(RemotePermissions::CanAddSubDirectories)) {
         try {
             FileSystem::setFolderPermissions(newDirStr, FileSystem::FolderPermissions::ReadOnly);
diff --git a/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/cfapiwrapper.cpp b/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/cfapiwrapper.cpp
index a483d2c066..ed214b88f9 100644
--- a/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/cfapiwrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/cfapiwrapper.cpp
@@ -157,17 +157,17 @@ void CALLBACK cfApiFetchDataCallback(const CF_CALLBACK_INFO *callbackInfo, const
                               callbackInfo->FileSize.QuadPart);
     };
 
-    if (QCoreApplication::applicationPid() == callbackInfo->ProcessInfo->ProcessId) {
-        qCCritical(lcCfApiWrapper) << "implicit hydration triggered by the client itself. Will lead to a deadlock. Cancel";
-        sendTransferError();
-        return;
-    }
-
     auto vfs = reinterpret_cast<OCC::VfsCfApi *>(callbackInfo->CallbackContext);
     Q_ASSERT(vfs->metaObject()->className() == QByteArrayLiteral("OCC::VfsCfApi"));
     const auto path = QString(QString::fromWCharArray(callbackInfo->VolumeDosName) + QString::fromWCharArray(callbackInfo->NormalizedPath));
     const auto requestId = QString::number(callbackInfo->TransferKey.QuadPart, 16);
 
+    if (QCoreApplication::applicationPid() == callbackInfo->ProcessInfo->ProcessId) {
+        qCCritical(lcCfApiWrapper) << "implicit hydration triggered by the client itself. Will lead to a deadlock. Cancel" << path << requestId;
+        sendTransferError();
+        return;
+    }
+
     qCDebug(lcCfApiWrapper) << "Request hydration for" << path << requestId;
 
     const auto invokeResult = QMetaObject::invokeMethod(vfs, [=] { vfs->requestHydration(requestId, path); }, Qt::QueuedConnection);
@@ -781,10 +781,12 @@ bool OCC::CfApiWrapper::isSparseFile(const QString &path)
 OCC::CfApiWrapper::FileHandle OCC::CfApiWrapper::handleForPath(const QString &path)
 {
     if (path.isEmpty()) {
+        qCWarning(lcCfApiWrapper) << "empty path";
         return {};
     }
 
     if (!FileSystem::fileExists(path)) {
+        qCWarning(lcCfApiWrapper) << "file does not exist";
         return {};
     }
 
@@ -807,6 +809,7 @@ OCC::CfApiWrapper::FileHandle OCC::CfApiWrapper::handleForPath(const QString &pa
         }
     }
 
+    qCWarning(lcCfApiWrapper) << "no handle was created";
     return {};
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp b/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp
index 414caed1bf..64779407f2 100644
--- a/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp
@@ -372,6 +372,14 @@ Vfs::AvailabilityResult VfsCfApi::availability(const QString &folderPath, const
                 return VfsItemAvailability::AlwaysLocal;
             else
                 return VfsItemAvailability::AllHydrated;
+        } else {
+            if (pin && *pin == PinState::OnlineOnly) {
+                return VfsItemAvailability::OnlineOnly;
+            } else if (pin && *pin == PinState::AlwaysLocal) {
+                return VfsItemAvailability::AlwaysLocal;
+            } else {
+                return VfsItemAvailability::AllDehydrated;
+            }
         }
         return AvailabilityError::NoSuchItem;
     }
@@ -511,7 +519,7 @@ int VfsCfApi::finalizeHydrationJob(const QString &requestId)
 VfsCfApi::HydratationAndPinStates VfsCfApi::computeRecursiveHydrationAndPinStates(const QString &folderPath, const Optional<PinState> &basePinState)
 {
     Q_ASSERT(!folderPath.endsWith('/'));
-    const auto fullPath = params().filesystemPath + folderPath;
+    const auto fullPath = QString{params().filesystemPath + folderPath};
     QFileInfo info(params().filesystemPath + folderPath);
 
     if (!FileSystem::fileExists(fullPath)) {