diff --git a/Lib/tarfile.py b/Lib/tarfile.py
index e2b60532f693d4..633251f2abdbec 100755
--- a/Lib/tarfile.py
+++ b/Lib/tarfile.py
@@ -2232,6 +2232,9 @@ def makelink(self, tarinfo, targetpath):
         try:
             # For systems that support symbolic and hard links.
             if tarinfo.issym():
+                if os.path.islink(targetpath) or os.path.isfile(targetpath):
+                    os.unlink(targetpath)
+
                 os.symlink(tarinfo.linkname, targetpath)
             else:
                 # See extract().
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py b/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py
index be66f1f89e6f39..deab9eac99ade2 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py
@@ -2580,6 +2580,47 @@ def test_partial_input_bz2(self):
         self._test_partial_input("r:bz2")
 
 
+class SymlinkOverwriteTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    # The testcase checks for correct overwriting of an
+    # existing symlink (issue #12800)
+
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_overwrite_symlink(self):
+        with support.temp_cwd('overwrite_symlink'):
+            source = 'source'
+            link = 'link'
+            with open(source, 'wb'):
+                pass
+            os.symlink(source, link)
+            with tarfile.open(tmpname, 'w') as tar:
+                tar.add(source, arcname=os.path.basename(source))
+                tar.add(link, arcname=os.path.basename(link))
+
+            with open(tmpname, 'rb') as fileobj:
+                with tarfile.open(fileobj=fileobj, mode='r|') as tar:
+                    tar.extractall(path=support.SAVEDCWD)
+
+    @support.skip_unless_symlink
+    def test_overwrite_file_with_symlink(self):
+        with support.temp_cwd('overwrite_file_with_symlink'):
+            source = 'source'
+            link = 'link'
+            with open(source, 'wb'):
+                pass
+            os.symlink(source, link)
+            with tarfile.open(tmpname, 'w') as tar:
+                tar.add(source, arcname=os.path.basename(source))
+                tar.add(link, arcname=os.path.basename(link))
+
+            os.unlink(link)
+
+            with open(link, 'wb'):
+                pass
+
+            with open(tmpname, 'rb') as fileobj:
+                with tarfile.open(fileobj=fileobj, mode='r|') as tar:
+                    tar.extractall(path=support.SAVEDCWD)
+
 def root_is_uid_gid_0():
     try:
         import pwd, grp
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-05-09-18-37-37.bpo-12800.TyjRQq.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-05-09-18-37-37.bpo-12800.TyjRQq.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..a1208cb176746a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-05-09-18-37-37.bpo-12800.TyjRQq.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Extracting a symlink from a tarball using the tarfile module in stream mode ('r|') fails with an exception when a file or symlink of the same name already exists. The fix is to remove the existing file or symlink before extraction.
\ No newline at end of file