diff --git a/src/uu/ls/src/colors.rs b/src/uu/ls/src/colors.rs
index a50418cd98..7cd9a22bf4 100644
--- a/src/uu/ls/src/colors.rs
+++ b/src/uu/ls/src/colors.rs
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ pub(crate) fn color_name(
         let has_capabilities = style_manager
             .colors
             .has_explicit_style_for(Indicator::Capabilities)
-            && uucore::fsxattr::has_security_cap_acl(&path.p_buf);
+            && uucore::fsxattr::has_security_cap_acl_with_deref(&path.p_buf, path.must_dereference);
 
         // If the file has capabilities, use a specific style for `ca` (capabilities)
         if has_capabilities {
diff --git a/src/uu/ls/src/display.rs b/src/uu/ls/src/display.rs
index b875462435..da0af2190f 100644
--- a/src/uu/ls/src/display.rs
+++ b/src/uu/ls/src/display.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ use term_grid::{DEFAULT_SEPARATOR_SIZE, Direction, Filling, Grid, GridOptions};
 #[cfg(unix)]
 use uucore::entries;
 #[cfg(all(unix, not(any(target_os = "android", target_os = "macos"))))]
-use uucore::fsxattr::has_acl;
+use uucore::fsxattr::has_acl_with_deref;
 #[cfg(unix)]
 use uucore::libc::{dev_t, major, minor};
 use uucore::{
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ fn display_item_long(
         // TODO: See how Mac should work here
         let is_acl_set = false;
         #[cfg(all(unix, not(any(target_os = "android", target_os = "macos"))))]
-        let is_acl_set = has_acl(item.path());
+        let is_acl_set = has_acl_with_deref(item.path(), item.must_dereference);
         state
             .display_buf
             .extend(display_permissions(md, true).as_bytes());
@@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ fn calculate_padding_collection(
                 // TODO: See how Mac should work here
                 let is_acl_set = false;
                 #[cfg(all(unix, not(any(target_os = "android", target_os = "macos"))))]
-                let is_acl_set = has_acl(item.path());
+                let is_acl_set = has_acl_with_deref(item.path(), item.must_dereference);
                 if context_len > 1 || is_acl_set {
                     padding_collections.permissions = PERMISSIONS_WIDTH + 1;
                 }
diff --git a/src/uucore/src/lib/features/fsxattr.rs b/src/uucore/src/lib/features/fsxattr.rs
index 23b3684f9a..deb959bffb 100644
--- a/src/uucore/src/lib/features/fsxattr.rs
+++ b/src/uucore/src/lib/features/fsxattr.rs
@@ -156,30 +156,49 @@ pub fn apply_xattrs<P: AsRef<Path>>(
 /// # Arguments
 ///
 /// * `file` - A reference to the path of the file.
+/// * `dereference` - Whether to inspect the target of a symlink instead of the link itself.
 ///
 /// # Returns
 ///
 /// `true` if the file has extended attributes (indicating an ACL), `false` otherwise.
-pub fn has_acl<P: AsRef<Path>>(file: P) -> bool {
+pub fn has_acl_with_deref<P: AsRef<Path>>(file: P, dereference: bool) -> bool {
     // don't use exacl here, it is doing more getxattr call then needed
-    xattr::list_deref(file).is_ok_and(|acl| {
+    let attrs = if dereference {
+        xattr::list_deref(file)
+    } else {
+        xattr::list(file)
+    };
+
+    attrs.is_ok_and(|acl| {
         // if we have extra attributes, we have an acl
         acl.count() > 0
     })
 }
 
+/// Checks if a file has an Access Control List (ACL) based on its extended attributes.
+pub fn has_acl<P: AsRef<Path>>(file: P) -> bool {
+    has_acl_with_deref(file, true)
+}
+
 /// Checks if a file has an Access Control List (ACL) named "security.capability" based on its extended attributes.
 ///
 /// # Arguments
 ///
 /// * `file` - A reference to the path of the file.
+/// * `dereference` - Whether to inspect the target of a symlink instead of the link itself.
 ///
 /// # Returns
 ///
 /// `true` if the file has an extended attribute named "security.capability", `false` otherwise.
-pub fn has_security_cap_acl<P: AsRef<Path>>(file: P) -> bool {
+pub fn has_security_cap_acl_with_deref<P: AsRef<Path>>(file: P, dereference: bool) -> bool {
     // don't use exacl here, it is doing more getxattr call then needed
-    xattr::list_deref(file).is_ok_and(|mut acl| {
+    let attrs = if dereference {
+        xattr::list_deref(file)
+    } else {
+        xattr::list(file)
+    };
+
+    attrs.is_ok_and(|mut acl| {
         #[cfg(unix)]
         return acl.contains(OsStr::from_bytes(b"security.capability"));
 
@@ -188,6 +207,11 @@ pub fn has_security_cap_acl<P: AsRef<Path>>(file: P) -> bool {
     })
 }
 
+/// Checks if a file has an Access Control List (ACL) named "security.capability" based on its extended attributes.
+pub fn has_security_cap_acl<P: AsRef<Path>>(file: P) -> bool {
+    has_security_cap_acl_with_deref(file, true)
+}
+
 /// Returns the permissions bits of a file or directory which has Access Control List (ACL) entries based on its
 /// extended attributes (Only works for linux)
 ///
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs b/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs
index 98001ef16b..0d3f230a09 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs
@@ -6985,6 +6985,44 @@ fn test_acl_display_symlink() {
     assert!(iter.all(|i| i == first));
 }
 
+#[cfg(all(unix, not(target_os = "macos")))]
+#[test]
+fn test_acl_display_symlink_without_dereference() {
+    use std::process::Command;
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    let dir_name = "dir";
+    let link_name = "link";
+    at.mkdir(dir_name);
+
+    match Command::new("setfacl")
+        .args(["-d", "-m", "u:bin:rwx", &at.plus_as_string(dir_name)])
+        .status()
+        .map(|status| status.code())
+    {
+        Ok(Some(0)) => {}
+        Ok(_) => {
+            println!("test skipped: setfacl failed");
+            return;
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            println!("test skipped: setfacl failed with {e}");
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    at.symlink_dir(dir_name, link_name);
+
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .arg("-ld")
+        .arg(link_name)
+        .succeeds()
+        .stdout_does_not_contain("+");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn ls_emoji_alignment() {
     let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());