diff --git a/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader.go b/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader.go
index ef27ba97235..c7d400929dc 100644
--- a/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader.go
+++ b/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader.go
@@ -43,26 +43,6 @@ func NewDashboardFileReader(cfg *DashboardsAsConfig, log log.Logger) (*fileReade
 		log.Warn("[Deprecated] The folder property is deprecated. Please use path instead.")
 	}
 
-	if _, err := os.Stat(path); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		log.Error("Cannot read directory", "error", err)
-	}
-
-	copy := path
-	path, err := filepath.Abs(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Error("Could not create absolute path ", "path", path)
-	}
-
-	path, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Error("Failed to read content of symlinked path: %s", path)
-	}
-
-	if path == "" {
-		path = copy
-		log.Info("falling back to original path due to EvalSymlink/Abs failure")
-	}
-
 	return &fileReader{
 		Cfg:              cfg,
 		Path:             path,
@@ -99,7 +79,8 @@ func (fr *fileReader) ReadAndListen(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func (fr *fileReader) startWalkingDisk() error {
-	if _, err := os.Stat(fr.Path); err != nil {
+	resolvedPath := fr.resolvePath(fr.Path)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(resolvedPath); err != nil {
 		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -116,7 +97,7 @@ func (fr *fileReader) startWalkingDisk() error {
 	}
 
 	filesFoundOnDisk := map[string]os.FileInfo{}
-	err = filepath.Walk(fr.Path, createWalkFn(filesFoundOnDisk))
+	err = filepath.Walk(resolvedPath, createWalkFn(filesFoundOnDisk))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -344,6 +325,29 @@ func (fr *fileReader) readDashboardFromFile(path string, lastModified time.Time,
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func (fr *fileReader) resolvePath(path string) string {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		fr.log.Error("Cannot read directory", "error", err)
+	}
+
+	copy := path
+	path, err := filepath.Abs(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		fr.log.Error("Could not create absolute path ", "path", path)
+	}
+
+	path, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		fr.log.Error("Failed to read content of symlinked path: %s", path)
+	}
+
+	if path == "" {
+		path = copy
+		fr.log.Info("falling back to original path due to EvalSymlink/Abs failure")
+	}
+	return path
+}
+
 type provisioningMetadata struct {
 	uid   string
 	title string
diff --git a/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_linux_test.go b/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_linux_test.go
index 9d4cdae8609..77f488ebcfb 100644
--- a/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_linux_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_linux_test.go
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ func TestProvsionedSymlinkedFolder(t *testing.T) {
 	want, err := filepath.Abs(containingId)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("expected err to be nill")
+		t.Errorf("expected err to be nil")
 	}
 
-	if reader.Path != want {
-		t.Errorf("got %s want %s", reader.Path, want)
+	resolvedPath := reader.resolvePath(reader.Path)
+	if resolvedPath != want {
+		t.Errorf("got %s want %s", resolvedPath, want)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_test.go b/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_test.go
index bdc1e95aafe..fe849816553 100644
--- a/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/provisioning/dashboards/file_reader_test.go
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ func TestCreatingNewDashboardFileReader(t *testing.T) {
 			reader, err := NewDashboardFileReader(cfg, log.New("test-logger"))
 			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
 
-			So(filepath.IsAbs(reader.Path), ShouldBeTrue)
+			resolvedPath := reader.resolvePath(reader.Path)
+			So(filepath.IsAbs(resolvedPath), ShouldBeTrue)
 		})
 	})
 }