diff --git a/helix-view/src/document.rs b/helix-view/src/document.rs
index 3587263e5792..59b926b81f9a 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/document.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/document.rs
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ impl Document {
                     "Path is read only"
                 ));
             }
-            let write_path = std::fs::read_link(&path).unwrap_or_else(|_| path.clone());
+            let write_path = tokio::fs::read_link(&path).await.unwrap_or_else(|_| path.clone());
             let backup = if path.exists() {
                 let path_ = write_path.clone();
                 // hacks: we use tempfile to handle the complex task of creating