diff --git a/pkg/oci/builder_test.go b/pkg/oci/builder_test.go
index eb4086fc9b..b824a6e691 100644
--- a/pkg/oci/builder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/oci/builder_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,69 @@ func TestBuilder_Build(t *testing.T) {
 
 	last := path(f.Root, fn.RunDataDir, "builds", "last", "oci")
 
-	validateOCI(last, t)
+	validateOCIStructure(last, t) // validate it adheres to the basics of the OCI spec
+}
+
+// TestBuilder_Files ensures that static files are added to the container
+// image as expected.  This includes template files, regular files and links.
+func TestBuilder_Files(t *testing.T) {
+	root, done := Mktemp(t)
+	defer done()
+
+	// Create a function with the default template
+	f, err := fn.New().Init(fn.Function{Root: root, Runtime: "go"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Add a regular file
+	if err := os.WriteFile("a.txt", []byte("file a"), 0644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Links
+	var link struct {
+		Target     string
+		Mode       fs.FileMode
+		Executable bool
+	}
+	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
+		// Default case: use symlinks
+		link.Target = "a.txt"
+		link.Mode = fs.ModeSymlink
+		link.Executable = true
+
+		if err := os.Symlink("a.txt", "a.lnk"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Windows: create a copy
+		if err := os.WriteFile("a.lnk", []byte("file a"), 0644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := NewBuilder("", true).Build(context.Background(), f, TestPlatforms); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	expected := []fileInfo{
+		{Path: "/etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-certificates.crt"},
+		{Path: "/etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt"},
+		{Path: "/func", Type: fs.ModeDir},
+		{Path: "/func/README.md"},
+		{Path: "/func/a.lnk", Linkname: link.Target, Type: link.Mode, Executable: link.Executable},
+		{Path: "/func/a.txt"},
+		{Path: "/func/f", Executable: true},
+		{Path: "/func/func.yaml"},
+		{Path: "/func/go.mod"},
+		{Path: "/func/handle.go"},
+		{Path: "/func/handle_test.go"},
+	}
+
+	last := path(f.Root, fn.RunDataDir, "builds", "last", "oci")
+
+	validateOCIFiles(last, expected, t)
 }
 
 // TestBuilder_Concurrency
@@ -145,9 +207,9 @@ type ImageIndex struct {
 	} `json:"manifests"`
 }
 
-// validateOCI performs a cursory check that the given path exists and
+// validateOCIStructue performs a cursory check that the given path exists and
 // has the basics of an OCI compliant structure.
-func validateOCI(path string, t *testing.T) {
+func validateOCIStructure(path string, t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to stat output path. %v", path)
 		return
@@ -185,9 +247,24 @@ func validateOCI(path string, t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	if len(imageIndex.Manifests) < 1 {
-		t.Fatal("fewer manifests")
+		t.Fatal("no manifests")
 	}
+}
 
+// validateOCIFiles ensures that the OCI image at path contains files with
+// the given attributes.
+func validateOCIFiles(path string, expected []fileInfo, t *testing.T) {
+	// Load the Image Index
+	bb, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(path, "index.json"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to read index.json: %v", err)
+	}
+	var imageIndex ImageIndex
+	if err = json.Unmarshal(bb, &imageIndex); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to parse index.json: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Load the first manifest
 	digest := strings.TrimPrefix(imageIndex.Manifests[0].Digest, "sha256:")
 	manifestFile := filepath.Join(path, "blobs", "sha256", digest)
 	manifestFileData, err := os.ReadFile(manifestFile)
@@ -203,12 +280,6 @@ func validateOCI(path string, t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-
-	type fileInfo struct {
-		Path       string
-		Type       fs.FileMode
-		Executable bool
-	}
 	var files []fileInfo
 
 	for _, layer := range mf.Layers {
@@ -239,6 +310,7 @@ func validateOCI(path string, t *testing.T) {
 					Path:       hdr.Name,
 					Type:       hdr.FileInfo().Mode() & fs.ModeType,
 					Executable: (hdr.FileInfo().Mode()&0111 == 0111) && !hdr.FileInfo().IsDir(),
+					Linkname:   hdr.Linkname,
 				})
 			}
 		}()
@@ -247,19 +319,14 @@ func validateOCI(path string, t *testing.T) {
 		return files[i].Path < files[j].Path
 	})
 
-	expectedFiles := []fileInfo{
-		{Path: "/etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-certificates.crt"},
-		{Path: "/etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt"},
-		{Path: "/func", Type: fs.ModeDir},
-		{Path: "/func/README.md"},
-		{Path: "/func/f", Executable: true},
-		{Path: "/func/func.yaml"},
-		{Path: "/func/go.mod"},
-		{Path: "/func/handle.go"},
-		{Path: "/func/handle_test.go"},
-	}
-
-	if diff := cmp.Diff(expectedFiles, files); diff != "" {
+	if diff := cmp.Diff(expected, files); diff != "" {
 		t.Error("files in oci differ from expectation (-want, +got):", diff)
 	}
 }
+
+type fileInfo struct {
+	Path       string
+	Type       fs.FileMode
+	Executable bool
+	Linkname   string
+}
diff --git a/pkg/oci/containerize.go b/pkg/oci/containerize.go
index 6e5f43c77f..011ecc5e1f 100644
--- a/pkg/oci/containerize.go
+++ b/pkg/oci/containerize.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	slashpath "path"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	v1 "github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1"
 	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/tarball"
 	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/types"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 // languageLayerBuilder builds the layer for the given language whuch may
@@ -123,7 +125,7 @@ func newDataLayer(cfg *buildConfig) (desc v1.Descriptor, layer v1.Layer, err err
 	return
 }
 
-func newDataTarball(source, target string, ignored []string, verbose bool) error {
+func newDataTarball(root, target string, ignored []string, verbose bool) error {
 	targetFile, err := os.Create(target)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -136,11 +138,12 @@ func newDataTarball(source, target string, ignored []string, verbose bool) error
 	tw := tar.NewWriter(gw)
 	defer tw.Close()
 
-	return filepath.Walk(source, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+	return filepath.Walk(root, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		// Skip files explicitly ignored
 		for _, v := range ignored {
 			if info.Name() == v {
 				if info.IsDir() {
@@ -150,27 +153,30 @@ func newDataTarball(source, target string, ignored []string, verbose bool) error
 			}
 		}
 
-		header, err := tar.FileInfoHeader(info, info.Name())
+		lnk := "" // if link, this will be used as the target
+		if info.Mode()&fs.ModeSymlink != 0 {
+			if lnk, err = validatedLinkTarget(root, path); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		header, err := tar.FileInfoHeader(info, lnk)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		relPath, err := filepath.Rel(source, path)
+		relPath, err := filepath.Rel(root, path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-
 		header.Name = slashpath.Join("/func", filepath.ToSlash(relPath))
-		// TODO: should we set file timestamps to the build start time of cfg.t?
-		// header.ModTime = timestampArgument
-
 		if err := tw.WriteHeader(header); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		if verbose {
 			fmt.Printf("→ %v \n", header.Name)
 		}
-		if info.IsDir() {
+		if !info.Mode().IsRegular() { //nothing more to do for non-regular
 			return nil
 		}
 
@@ -185,6 +191,40 @@ func newDataTarball(source, target string, ignored []string, verbose bool) error
 	})
 }
 
+// validatedLinkTarget returns the target of a given link or an error if
+// that target is either absolute or outside the given project root.
+func validatedLinkTarget(root, path string) (tgt string, err error) {
+	// tgt is the raw target of the link.
+	// This path is either absolute or relative to the link's location.
+	tgt, err = os.Readlink(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return tgt, fmt.Errorf("cannot read link: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Absolute links will not be correct when copied into the runtime
+	// container, because they are placed into path into '/func',
+	if filepath.IsAbs(tgt) {
+		return tgt, errors.New("project may not contain absolute links")
+	}
+
+	// Calculate the actual target of the link
+	// (relative to the parent of the symlink)
+	lnkTgt := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(path), tgt)
+
+	// Calculate the relative path from the function's root to
+	// this actual target location
+	relLnkTgt, err := filepath.Rel(root, lnkTgt)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Fail if this path is outside the function's root.
+	if strings.HasPrefix(relLnkTgt, ".."+string(filepath.Separator)) || relLnkTgt == ".." {
+		return tgt, errors.New("links must stay within project root")
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 // newCertLayer creates the shared data layer in the container file hierarchy and
 // returns both its descriptor and layer metadata.
 func newCertsLayer(cfg *buildConfig) (desc v1.Descriptor, layer v1.Layer, err error) {
diff --git a/pkg/oci/containerize_test.go b/pkg/oci/containerize_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..33acffb461
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/containerize_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package oci
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// Test_validatedLinkTaarget ensures that the function disallows
+// links which are absolute or refer to targets outside the given root, in
+// addition to the basic job of returning the value of reading the link.
+func Test_validatedLinkTarget(t *testing.T) {
+	root := "testdata/test-links"
+
+	// Windows-specific absolute link and link target values:
+	absoluteLink := "absoluteLink"
+	linkTarget := "./a.txt"
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		absoluteLink = "absoluteLinkWindows"
+		linkTarget = ".\\a.txt"
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		path   string // path of the file within test project root
+		valid  bool   // If it should be considered valid
+		target string // optional test of the returned value (target)
+		name   string // descriptive name of the test
+	}{
+		{absoluteLink, false, "", "disallow absolute-path links on linux"},
+		{"a.lnk", true, linkTarget, "spot-check link target"},
+		{"a.lnk", true, "", "links to files within the root are allowed"},
+		{"...validName.lnk", true, "", "allow links with target of dot prefixed names"},
+		{"linkToRoot", true, "", "allow links to the project root"},
+		{"b/linkToRoot", true, "", "allow links to the project root from within subdir"},
+		{"b/linkToCurrentDir", true, "", "allow links to a subdirectory within the project"},
+		{"b/linkToRootsParent", false, "", "disallow links to the project's immediate parent"},
+		{"b/linkOutsideRootsParent", false, "", "disallow links outside project root and its parent"},
+		{"b/c/linkToParent", true, "", " allow links up, but within project"},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			path := filepath.Join(root, tt.path)
+			target, err := validatedLinkTarget(root, path)
+
+			if err == nil != tt.valid {
+				t.Fatalf("expected validity '%v', got '%v'", tt.valid, err)
+			}
+			if tt.target != "" && target != tt.target {
+				t.Fatalf("expected target %q, got %q", tt.target, target)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/...validName.lnk b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/...validName.lnk
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..444926c99e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/...validName.lnk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+...validName.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/...validName.txt b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/...validName.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fa6198b097
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/...validName.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+validName.txt
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/a.lnk b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/a.lnk
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..1891a26c08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/a.lnk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+./a.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/a.txt b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/a.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4ef30bbfe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/a.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+file a
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/absoluteLink b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/absoluteLink
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..28434a9033
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/absoluteLink
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/var/example/absolute/link
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/absoluteLinkWindows b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/absoluteLinkWindows
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..c3aaf3f5c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/absoluteLinkWindows
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+c://some/absolute/path
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/c/linkToParent b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/c/linkToParent
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..a96aa0ea9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/c/linkToParent
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+..
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkOutsideRootsParent b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkOutsideRootsParent
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..a8a4f8c212
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkOutsideRootsParent
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../..
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToCurrentDir b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToCurrentDir
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..945c9b46d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToCurrentDir
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToRoot b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToRoot
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..a96aa0ea9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToRoot
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+..
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToRootsParent b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToRootsParent
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..c25bddb6dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/b/linkToRootsParent
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../..
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/linkToRoot b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/linkToRoot
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..945c9b46d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/oci/testdata/test-links/linkToRoot
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.
\ No newline at end of file