diff --git a/changelog/64477.fixed.md b/changelog/64477.fixed.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d43f01714d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/64477.fixed.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix file.symlink will not replace/update existing symlink
diff --git a/salt/states/file.py b/salt/states/file.py
index 415c3688e1e..ed9b65be1d6 100644
--- a/salt/states/file.py
+++ b/salt/states/file.py
@@ -1791,9 +1791,11 @@ def symlink(
 
     if __salt__["file.is_link"](name):
         # The link exists, verify that it matches the target
-        if os.path.normpath(__salt__["file.readlink"](name)) == os.path.normpath(
+        if os.path.normpath(__salt__["file.readlink"](name)) != os.path.normpath(
             target
         ):
+            __salt__["file.remove"](name)
+        else:
             if _check_symlink_ownership(name, user, group, win_owner):
                 # The link looks good!
                 if salt.utils.platform.is_windows():
diff --git a/tests/pytests/functional/states/test_file.py b/tests/pytests/functional/states/test_file.py
index cea0552f365..a28ab64a35f 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/functional/states/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/functional/states/test_file.py
@@ -201,3 +201,25 @@ def test_file_managed_web_source_etag_operation(
 
     # The modified time of the cached file now changes
     assert cached_file_mtime != os.path.getmtime(cached_file)
+
+
+def test_file_symlink_replace_existing_link(states, tmp_path):
+    # symlink name and target for state
+    name = tmp_path / "foo"
+    target = tmp_path / "baz"
+
+    # create existing symlink to replace
+    old_target = tmp_path / "bar"
+    name.symlink_to(old_target)
+
+    ret = states.file.symlink(
+        name=str(name),
+        target=str(target),
+    )
+
+    assert ret.filtered == {
+        "name": str(name),
+        "changes": {"new": str(name)},
+        "comment": f"Created new symlink {str(name)} -> {str(target)}",
+        "result": True,
+    }