diff --git a/modules/git/tree_entry_common_test.go b/modules/git/tree_entry_common_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..abafed0233
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/git/tree_entry_common_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package git
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestFollowLink(t *testing.T) {
+	r, err := openRepositoryWithDefaultContext("tests/repos/repo1_bare")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	defer r.Close()
+
+	commit, err := r.GetCommit("37991dec2c8e592043f47155ce4808d4580f9123")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// get the symlink
+	lnk, err := commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/bar/link_to_hello")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, lnk.IsLink())
+
+	// should be able to dereference to target
+	target, err := lnk.FollowLink()
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "hello", target.Name())
+	assert.Equal(t, "foo/nar/hello", target.FullPath())
+	assert.False(t, target.IsLink())
+	assert.Equal(t, "b14df6442ea5a1b382985a6549b85d435376c351", target.ID.String())
+
+	// should error when called on normal file
+	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("file1.txt")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = target.FollowLink()
+	assert.ErrorAs(t, err, ErrBadLink{})
+
+	// should error for broken links
+	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/broken_link")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, target.IsLink())
+	_, err = target.FollowLink()
+	assert.ErrorAs(t, err, ErrBadLink{})
+
+	// should error for external links
+	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/outside_repo")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, target.IsLink())
+	_, err = target.FollowLink()
+	assert.ErrorAs(t, err, ErrBadLink{})
+
+	// testing fix for short link bug
+	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/link_short")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = target.FollowLink()
+	assert.ErrorAs(t, err, ErrBadLink{})
+}
+
+func TestTryFollowingLinks(t *testing.T) {
+	r, err := openRepositoryWithDefaultContext("tests/repos/repo1_bare")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	defer r.Close()
+
+	commit, err := r.GetCommit("37991dec2c8e592043f47155ce4808d4580f9123")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// get the symlink
+	list, err := commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/bar/link_to_hello")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, list.IsLink())
+
+	// should be able to dereference to target
+	target := list.TryFollowingLinks()
+	assert.NotEqual(t, target, list)
+	assert.Equal(t, "hello", target.Name())
+	assert.Equal(t, "foo/nar/hello", target.FullPath())
+	assert.False(t, target.IsLink())
+	assert.Equal(t, "b14df6442ea5a1b382985a6549b85d435376c351", target.ID.String())
+
+	// should default to original when called on normal file
+	link, err := commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("file1.txt")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	target = link.TryFollowingLinks()
+	assert.Same(t, link, target)
+
+	// should default to original for broken links
+	link, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/broken_link")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, link.IsLink())
+	target = link.TryFollowingLinks()
+	assert.Same(t, link, target)
+
+	// should default to original for external links
+	link, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/outside_repo")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, link.IsLink())
+	target = link.TryFollowingLinks()
+	assert.Same(t, link, target)
+
+	// testing fix for short link bug
+	link, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/link_short")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	target = link.TryFollowingLinks()
+	assert.Same(t, link, target)
+}
diff --git a/modules/git/tree_entry_test.go b/modules/git/tree_entry_test.go
index 30eee13669..9ca82675e0 100644
--- a/modules/git/tree_entry_test.go
+++ b/modules/git/tree_entry_test.go
@@ -53,50 +53,3 @@ func TestEntriesCustomSort(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "bcd", entries[6].Name())
 	assert.Equal(t, "abc", entries[7].Name())
 }
-
-func TestFollowLink(t *testing.T) {
-	r, err := openRepositoryWithDefaultContext("tests/repos/repo1_bare")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	defer r.Close()
-
-	commit, err := r.GetCommit("37991dec2c8e592043f47155ce4808d4580f9123")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-
-	// get the symlink
-	lnk, err := commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/bar/link_to_hello")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.True(t, lnk.IsLink())
-
-	// should be able to dereference to target
-	target, err := lnk.FollowLink()
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, "hello", target.Name())
-	assert.False(t, target.IsLink())
-	assert.Equal(t, "b14df6442ea5a1b382985a6549b85d435376c351", target.ID.String())
-
-	// should error when called on normal file
-	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("file1.txt")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	_, err = target.FollowLink()
-	assert.EqualError(t, err, "file1.txt: not a symlink")
-
-	// should error for broken links
-	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/broken_link")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.True(t, target.IsLink())
-	_, err = target.FollowLink()
-	assert.EqualError(t, err, "broken_link: broken link")
-
-	// should error for external links
-	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/outside_repo")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.True(t, target.IsLink())
-	_, err = target.FollowLink()
-	assert.EqualError(t, err, "outside_repo: points outside of repo")
-
-	// testing fix for short link bug
-	target, err = commit.Tree.GetTreeEntryByPath("foo/link_short")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	_, err = target.FollowLink()
-	assert.EqualError(t, err, "link_short: broken link")
-}