diff --git a/l4d2web/services/overlay_builders.py b/l4d2web/services/overlay_builders.py
index b97c814..c73c903 100644
--- a/l4d2web/services/overlay_builders.py
+++ b/l4d2web/services/overlay_builders.py
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ class WorkshopBuilder:
 
         downloaded = 0
         cached = 0
-        skipped: list[str] = []
+        skipped: set[str] = set()
 
         # Download phase.
         for (
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class WorkshopBuilder:
                     f"workshop item {steam_id} skipped: no file_url "
                     f"(steam result: {last_error or 'unknown'})"
                 )
-                skipped.append(steam_id)
+                skipped.add(steam_id)
                 continue
             target = cache_path(steam_id)
             needs_download = (
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ class WorkshopBuilder:
             if not needs_download:
                 cached += 1
                 continue
+            # download_to_cache only reads steam_id, file_url, file_size, time_updated;
+            # consumer_app_id and result are required by the dataclass but unused here.
             meta = WorkshopMetadata(
                 steam_id=steam_id,
                 title=title,
@@ -295,7 +297,21 @@ class WorkshopBuilder:
                 return
             if name in post_removal_existing:
                 continue
-            os.symlink(target, addons_dir / name)
+            link_path = addons_dir / name
+            # Defensive: if a non-symlink file collides with our name, leave it.
+            if link_path.exists() and not link_path.is_symlink():
+                on_stderr(
+                    f"refusing to overwrite non-symlink at {link_path}; manual intervention required"
+                )
+                continue
+            if link_path.is_symlink():
+                # An obsolete symlink not in `existing` (target outside cache).
+                # We don't manage these — leave alone.
+                on_stderr(
+                    f"refusing to overwrite foreign symlink at {link_path}"
+                )
+                continue
+            os.symlink(target, link_path)
             created += 1
 
         on_stdout(
diff --git a/l4d2web/tests/test_overlay_builders.py b/l4d2web/tests/test_overlay_builders.py
index fee321f..ad15f7a 100644
--- a/l4d2web/tests/test_overlay_builders.py
+++ b/l4d2web/tests/test_overlay_builders.py
@@ -693,3 +693,66 @@ def test_workshop_build_cancels_cleanly_during_download_phase(env, tmp_path, mon
             overlay, on_stdout=on_stdout, on_stderr=on_stderr,
             should_cancel=lambda: cancel_flag["v"],
         )
+
+
+def test_workshop_build_refuses_to_overwrite_non_symlink_file(env, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """If a plain file collides with a workshop symlink name, the build logs
+    a refusal and leaves the file alone instead of crashing."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LEFT4ME_ROOT", str(tmp_path))
+    cache_root = tmp_path / "workshop_cache"
+    user_id, overlay_id = _create_user_and_overlay("ws", "workshop")
+    item_id = _add_workshop_item("3001", downloaded=True, cache_root=cache_root)
+    _associate(overlay_id, item_id)
+
+    # Pre-create a plain file (not a symlink) where the builder would place its symlink.
+    addons = tmp_path / "overlays" / "7" / "left4dead2" / "addons"
+    addons.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    (addons / "3001.vpk").write_bytes(b"manual file, don't touch")
+
+    out, err, on_stdout, on_stderr = _capture_logs()
+    with session_scope() as s:
+        from sqlalchemy import select as _sel
+        overlay = s.scalar(_sel(Overlay).where(Overlay.id == overlay_id))
+        s.expunge(overlay)
+    overlay_builders.WorkshopBuilder().build(
+        overlay, on_stdout=on_stdout, on_stderr=on_stderr, should_cancel=lambda: False,
+    )
+
+    # The plain file is still there, unchanged.
+    assert (addons / "3001.vpk").exists()
+    assert not (addons / "3001.vpk").is_symlink()
+    assert (addons / "3001.vpk").read_bytes() == b"manual file, don't touch"
+    # And a refusal message was logged.
+    assert any("refusing to overwrite non-symlink" in line for line in err)
+
+
+def test_workshop_build_refuses_to_overwrite_foreign_symlink(env, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A symlink pointing outside the workshop cache is left alone — not
+    overwritten, not failed."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LEFT4ME_ROOT", str(tmp_path))
+    cache_root = tmp_path / "workshop_cache"
+    user_id, overlay_id = _create_user_and_overlay("ws", "workshop")
+    item_id = _add_workshop_item("3002", downloaded=True, cache_root=cache_root)
+    _associate(overlay_id, item_id)
+
+    # Pre-create a symlink pointing outside the cache root.
+    foreign_target = tmp_path / "elsewhere" / "thing.vpk"
+    foreign_target.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    foreign_target.write_bytes(b"some other vpk")
+    addons = tmp_path / "overlays" / "7" / "left4dead2" / "addons"
+    addons.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    os.symlink(foreign_target, addons / "3002.vpk")
+
+    out, err, on_stdout, on_stderr = _capture_logs()
+    with session_scope() as s:
+        from sqlalchemy import select as _sel
+        overlay = s.scalar(_sel(Overlay).where(Overlay.id == overlay_id))
+        s.expunge(overlay)
+    overlay_builders.WorkshopBuilder().build(
+        overlay, on_stdout=on_stdout, on_stderr=on_stderr, should_cancel=lambda: False,
+    )
+
+    # The foreign symlink still points where it did.
+    assert (addons / "3002.vpk").is_symlink()
+    assert os.readlink(addons / "3002.vpk") == str(foreign_target)
+    assert any("refusing to overwrite foreign symlink" in line for line in err)