diff --git a/deno.jsonc b/deno.jsonc
index d9343ebc..70ab2af9 100644
--- a/deno.jsonc
+++ b/deno.jsonc
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
     "run": "deno run --unstable -A ./entrypoint.ts",
 
     // you can specify paths to specific tests if you need
-    "test": "deno test --allow-read=$PWD,$TMPDIR,$HOME,/ --allow-env --allow-write=$TMPDIR --allow-ffi --unstable",
+    // follows is the ideal permissions lines, unfortunately deno considers making symlinks to require full read/write permissions for fuck knows why reasons
+    //"test": "deno test --allow-read=$PWD,$TMPDIR,$HOME,/ --allow-env --allow-write=$TMPDIR --allow-ffi --unstable",
+    "test": "deno test --allow-read --allow-env --allow-write --allow-ffi --unstable",
     // ^^ ffi & unstable needed for execve.ts
 
     // installs to /usr/local/bin/pkgx
diff --git a/src/modes/internal.activate.test.ts b/src/modes/internal.activate.test.ts
index 12cb2cfe..eecfa129 100644
--- a/src/modes/internal.activate.test.ts
+++ b/src/modes/internal.activate.test.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ Deno.test("internal.activate.ts", async runner => {
     _internals.datadir()
   })
 
-  await runner.step("apply_userenv", () => {
+  await runner.step("apply userenv", () => {
     const userenv = { PATH: "/foo/bar:$PATH" }
     const env = { PATH: "/baz:$PATH"}
     _internals.apply_userenv(env, userenv)
diff --git a/src/utils/devenv.test.ts b/src/utils/devenv.test.ts
index 2a8c1bd0..be62c76a 100644
--- a/src/utils/devenv.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/devenv.test.ts
@@ -34,21 +34,26 @@ Deno.test("devenv.ts", async runner => {
 
       for (const [keyfile, dep] of keyfiles) {
         await test.step(`${keyfile}`, async () => {
-          const file = fixturesd.join(keyfile).cp({ into: Path.mktemp() })
-          const { env, pkgs } = await specimen(file.parent())
-          assert(pkgs.find(pkg => utils.pkg.str(pkg) == "zlib.net^1.2"), "should dep zlib^1.2")
-          if (dep) {
-            assert(pkgs.find(pkg => utils.pkg.str(pkg) == dep), `should dep ${dep}`)
+          const go = async (file: Path) => {
+            const { env, pkgs } = await specimen(file.parent())
+            assert(pkgs.find(pkg => utils.pkg.str(pkg) == "zlib.net^1.2"), "should dep zlib^1.2")
+            if (dep) {
+              assert(pkgs.find(pkg => utils.pkg.str(pkg) == dep), `should dep ${dep}`)
+            }
+
+            switch (keyfile) {
+            case 'package.json/str/package.json':
+            case 'package.json/arr/package.json':
+            case 'deno.json/arr/deno.json':
+              break  // testing the short form for deps with these files
+            default:
+              assertEquals(env.FOO, "BAR")
+            }
           }
 
-          switch (keyfile) {
-          case 'package.json/str/package.json':
-          case 'package.json/arr/package.json':
-          case 'deno.json/arr/deno.json':
-            break  // testing the short form for deps with these files
-          default:
-            assertEquals(env.FOO, "BAR")
-          }
+          const target = fixturesd.join(keyfile).cp({ into: Path.mktemp() })
+          await go(target)
+          await go(Path.mktemp().join(target.basename()).ln('s', { target }))
         })
       }
     })
diff --git a/src/utils/devenv.ts b/src/utils/devenv.ts
index 4804ae97..1c69ffe7 100644
--- a/src/utils/devenv.ts
+++ b/src/utils/devenv.ts
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ export default async function(dir: Path) {
   const pkgs: PackageRequirement[] = []
   const env: Record<string, string> = {}
 
-  for await (const [path, {name, isFile, isDirectory}] of dir.ls()) {
-    if (isFile) {
+  for await (const [path, {name, isFile, isSymlink, isDirectory}] of dir.ls()) {
+    if (isFile || isSymlink) {
       switch (name) {
       case "deno.json":
       case "deno.jsonc":