Hi.

I long time discover strange to me behavior. If I add --fake-super
option on both sides rsync start always set owner and group of symlink.
What interesting there no error, but it done each time as it has been
changed.

Simple reproduce:
$ mkdir rsync.symlinks
$ echo 'file content' > rsync.symlinks/file.itself
$ ln -s file.itself rsync.symlinks/file.symlink

Then try to transfer it on remote host:
$ rsync -apr --links --itemize-changes --fake-super -M--fake-super
rsync.symlinks backup@store.hubbitus.info:~/temp/rsync.symlinks
cd+++++++++ rsync.symlinks/
<f+++++++++ rsync.symlinks/file.itself
cL+++++++++ rsync.symlinks/file.symlink -> file.itself

And again:
.L....og... rsync.symlinks/file.symlink -> file.itself


I had tried use --rsync-path="rsync --fake-super" instead of
-M--fake-super what unsurprisingly give me same result:
$ rsync -apr --links --itemize-changes --fake-super --rsync-path="rsync
--fake-super" rsync.symlinks
backup@store.hubbitus.info:~/temp/rsync.symlinks
.L....og... rsync.symlinks/file.symlink -> file.itself

I had post it in mail list - http://samba.2283325.n4.nabble.com/rsync-always-try-change-owner-and-group-of-symlink-in-fake-super-mode-td4692664.html but does not receive intelligible answer.

Possibly relates to https://bugzilla.samba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10496

With best wishes, Pavel Alexeev.