diff --git a/news/5439.bugfix b/news/5439.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f0a7838a36a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/5439.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Handle symlinks in req_uninstall.py
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_uninstall.py b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_uninstall.py
index a3cc7bf66b5..b6b136f21ee 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_uninstall.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_uninstall.py
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@
 )
 from pip._internal.utils.temp_dir import TempDirectory
 
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 2):
+    samefile = os.path.samefile
+else:
+    def samefile(self, other):
+        return os.stat(self) == os.stat(other)
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -359,7 +365,7 @@ def from_dist(cls, dist):
             # develop egg
             with open(develop_egg_link, 'r') as fh:
                 link_pointer = os.path.normcase(fh.readline().strip())
-            assert (link_pointer == dist.location), (
+            assert (samefile(link_pointer, dist.location)), (
                 'Egg-link %s does not match installed location of %s '
                 '(at %s)' % (link_pointer, dist.project_name, dist.location)
             )