diff --git a/revel/util.go b/revel/util.go
index 248eadf..4240565 100644
--- a/revel/util.go
+++ b/revel/util.go
@@ -66,19 +66,22 @@ func mustChmod(filename string, mode os.FileMode) {
 // Additionally, the trailing ".template" is stripped from the file name.
 // Also, dot files and dot directories are skipped.
 func mustCopyDir(destDir, srcDir string, data map[string]interface{}) error {
-	var realSrcDir string
-	// handle symlinked source-direcories
+	var fullSrcDir string
+	// Handle symlinked directories.
 	f, err := os.Lstat(srcDir)
 	if err == nil && f.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink == os.ModeSymlink {
-		realSrcDir, _ = os.Readlink(srcDir)
+		fullSrcDir, err = os.Readlink(srcDir)
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 	} else {
-		realSrcDir = srcDir
+		fullSrcDir = srcDir
 	}
 
-	return filepath.Walk(realSrcDir, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+	return filepath.Walk(fullSrcDir, func(srcPath string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 		// Get the relative path from the source base, and the corresponding path in
 		// the dest directory.
-		relSrcPath := strings.TrimLeft(srcPath[len(realSrcDir):], string(os.PathSeparator))
+		relSrcPath := strings.TrimLeft(srcPath[len(fullSrcDir):], string(os.PathSeparator))
 		destPath := path.Join(destDir, relSrcPath)
 
 		// Skip dot files and dot directories.