diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb
index dcf3089523..bef0dfb5b7 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ module Homebrew extend self
 
     cd HOMEBREW_LIBRARY/"Formula" do
       formulae.each do |formula|
-        from = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY.join("Taps/#{formula}").tap_ref
-        to = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY.join("Formula/#{formula.basename}").tap_ref
+        from = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY.join("Taps/#{formula}")
+        to = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY.join("Formula/#{formula.basename}")
 
         # Unexpected, but possible, lets proceed as if nothing happened
-        formula.delete if from == to
+        formula.delete if to.symlink? and to.realpath == from
 
         # using the system ln is the only way to get relative symlinks
         system "ln -s ../Taps/#{formula} 2>/dev/null"
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ module Homebrew extend self
           ignores << formula.basename.to_s
           tapped += 1
         else
-          opoo "Could not tap #{Tty.white}#{from}#{Tty.reset} over #{Tty.white}#{to}#{Tty.reset}"
+          to = to.realpath if to.exist?
+          opoo "Could not tap #{Tty.white}#{from.tap_ref}#{Tty.reset} over #{Tty.white}#{to.tap_ref}#{Tty.reset}"
         end
       end
     end