diff --git a/ansible/roles/kolla-openstack/action_plugins/kolla_custom_config_info.py b/ansible/roles/kolla-openstack/action_plugins/kolla_custom_config_info.py
index f5ad15429..c303eda95 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/kolla-openstack/action_plugins/kolla_custom_config_info.py
+++ b/ansible/roles/kolla-openstack/action_plugins/kolla_custom_config_info.py
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ class ConfigCollector(object):
             if not rule:
                 continue
 
+            sources = map(os.path.realpath, sources)
+            sources = _dedup(sources)
+
             if rule["strategy"] == 'copy':
                 copy = {
                     "src": sources[-1],
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/stop-merging-symlinks-to-identical-files-dfa3593fcf405510.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/stop-merging-symlinks-to-identical-files-dfa3593fcf405510.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc4198f52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/stop-merging-symlinks-to-identical-files-dfa3593fcf405510.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Stop merging config when a symlink points to the same file. This
+    was a common pattern before the merging of kolla config was introduced
+    and results in duplicated config options.