diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index 1a995cc40..239e3528f 100644
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -218,12 +218,11 @@ and then loads the resulting file using `load-file'.  With
 optional prefix argument COMPILE, the tangled Emacs Lisp file is
 byte-compiled before it is loaded."
   (interactive "fFile to load: \nP")
-  (let* ((file (file-truename file))
-	 (tangled-file (concat (file-name-sans-extension file) ".el")))
+  (let* ((tangled-file (concat (file-name-sans-extension file) ".el")))
     ;; Tangle only if the Org file is newer than the Elisp file.
     (unless (org-file-newer-than-p
 	     tangled-file
-	     (file-attribute-modification-time (file-attributes file)))
+	     (file-attribute-modification-time (file-attributes (file-truename file))))
       (org-babel-tangle-file file tangled-file "emacs-lisp\\|elisp"))
     (if compile
 	(progn