diff --git a/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go b/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go
index a717ae31..0a2e99fb 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/overlay/funcmap.go
@@ -125,10 +125,14 @@ func createIgnitionJson(node *node.Node) string {
 }
 
 func importSoftlink(lnk string) string {
-	path, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(lnk)
+	target, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(lnk)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "abort"
 	}
-	wwlog.Debug("importing softlink pointing to: %s", path)
-	return fmt.Sprintf("{{ /* softlink \"%s\" */ }}", path)
+	wwlog.Debug("importing softlink pointing to: %s", target)
+	return softlink(target)
+}
+
+func softlink(target string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("{{ /* softlink \"%s\" */ }}", target)
 }
diff --git a/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go b/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go
index c2167851..bef2edc3 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func BuildOverlayIndir(nodeData node.Node, overlayNames []string, outputDir stri
 							wwlog.Debug("Creating soft link %s -> %s", destFileName, softlinkFromTemplate[0][1])
 							return os.Symlink(softlinkFromTemplate[0][1], path.Join(outputDir, destFileName))
 						} else if len(filenameFromTemplate) != 0 {
-							wwlog.Debug("Found multiple comment, new filename %s", filenameFromTemplate[0][1])
+							wwlog.Debug("Writing file %s", filenameFromTemplate[0][1])
 							if foundFileComment {
 								err = CarefulWriteBuffer(path.Join(outputDir, destFileName),
 									fileBuffer, backupFile, info.Mode())
@@ -381,7 +381,8 @@ func RenderTemplateFile(fileName string, data TemplateStruct) (
 		"inc":          func(i int) int { return i + 1 },
 		"dec":          func(i int) int { return i - 1 },
 		"file":         func(str string) string { return fmt.Sprintf("{{ /* file \"%s\" */ }}", str) },
-		"softlink":     func(str string) string { return fmt.Sprintf("{{ /* softlink \"%s\" */ }}", str) },
+		"softlink":     softlink,
+		"readlink":     filepath.EvalSymlinks,
 		"IgnitionJson": func() string {
 			str := createIgnitionJson(data.ThisNode)
 			if str != "" {