4 files changed, 35 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/Settings.scala b/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/Settings.scala
index 67529f4178..a8e1dee4a0 100644
--- a/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/Settings.scala
+++ b/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/Settings.scala
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ class Settings(error: String => Unit, val printMsg: String => Unit = println(_))
     val idx = s.indexOf("#")
     if (idx > 0) {
       val (first, last) = s.splitAt(idx)
-      Some(new File(first).getAbsolutePath -> appendIndex(last.substring(1)))
+      Some(new File(first).getCanonicalPath -> appendIndex(last.substring(1)))
     } else {
       error(s"Illegal -doc-external-doc option; expected a pair with '#' separator, found: '$s'")
       None
diff --git a/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/model/MemberLookup.scala b/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/model/MemberLookup.scala
index 339129bdbc..64eb1adbea 100644
--- a/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/model/MemberLookup.scala
+++ b/src/scaladoc/scala/tools/nsc/doc/model/MemberLookup.scala
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ trait MemberLookup extends base.MemberLookupBase {
         sym.info.member(newTermName("package"))
       else sym
     Option(sym1.associatedFile) flatMap (_.underlyingSource) flatMap { src =>
-      val path = src.path
+      val path = src.canonicalPath
       settings.extUrlMapping get path map { url =>
         LinkToExternal(name, url + "#" + name)
       }
diff --git a/test/scaladoc/run/t8557.check b/test/scaladoc/run/t8557.check
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..619c56180b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/scaladoc/run/t8557.check
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Done.
diff --git a/test/scaladoc/run/t8557.scala b/test/scaladoc/run/t8557.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..451f004d7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/scaladoc/run/t8557.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import scala.tools.nsc.doc.base._
+import scala.tools.nsc.doc.model._
+import scala.tools.partest.ScaladocModelTest
+
+object Test extends ScaladocModelTest {
+
+  override def code = """
+      package scala.test.scaladoc.T8857
+
+      /**
+       *  A link:
+       *
+       * [[scala.Option$ object Option]].
+       */
+      class A
+    """
+
+  // a non-canonical path to scala-library.jar should still work
+  // this is a bit fragile (depends on the current directory being the root of the repo ;
+  // ant & partest seem to do that properly)
+  def scaladocSettings = "-doc-external-doc build/pack/bin/../lib/scala-library.jar#http://www.scala-lang.org/api/current/"
+
+  def testModel(rootPackage: Package) = {
+    // get the quick access implicit defs in scope (_package(s), _class(es), _trait(s), object(s) _method(s), _value(s))
+    import access._
+
+    val a = rootPackage._package("scala")._package("test")._package("scaladoc")._package("T8857")._class("A")
+
+    val links = countLinks(a.comment.get, _.link.isInstanceOf[LinkToExternal])
+    assert(links == 1, links + " ==  1 (the links to external in class A)")
+  }
+}