diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index a4e28ef..5810932 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -835,7 +835,18 @@ func handleStaleLinks(stales []string) error {
 	reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
 	for _, path := range stales {
 		fmt.Printf("stale: %s\n", path)
-		fmt.Print("action [p=prune, u=unlink, i=ignore]: ")
+
+		canUnlink, err := staleHasRepoFile(path, repo)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		prompt := "action [p=prune, u=unlink, i=ignore]: "
+		if !canUnlink {
+			prompt = "action [p=prune, i=ignore]: "
+		}
+
+		fmt.Print(prompt)
 		choice, err := reader.ReadString('\n')
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -851,7 +862,7 @@ func handleStaleLinks(stales []string) error {
 			fmt.Printf("removed %s\n", path)
 			continue
 		}
-		if choice == "u" {
+		if choice == "u" && canUnlink {
 			if err := unlinkStale(path, repo); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -863,56 +874,30 @@ func handleStaleLinks(stales []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func unlinkStale(targetPath, repo string) error {
-	info, err := os.Lstat(targetPath)
+func staleHasRepoFile(targetPath, repo string) (bool, error) {
+	repoPath, err := repoPathForTarget(targetPath, repo)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return false, err
 	}
-	if info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink == 0 {
-		return nil
+	if repoPath == "" {
+		return false, nil
 	}
-
-	src, err := os.Readlink(targetPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if !filepath.IsAbs(src) {
-		src = filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(targetPath), src)
-	}
-	src = filepath.Clean(src)
-
-	repoAbs, err := filepath.Abs(repo)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	rel, err := filepath.Rel(repoAbs, src)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if strings.HasPrefix(rel, "..") {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	parts := strings.Split(rel, string(os.PathSeparator))
-	if len(parts) < 3 {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	if parts[1] != filesDirName {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	repoPath := filepath.Join(repoAbs, rel)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(repoPath); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-		if err := os.Remove(targetPath); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		fmt.Printf("removed %s (missing repo file)\n", targetPath)
-		return nil
+		return false, nil
 	} else if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+func unlinkStale(targetPath, repo string) error {
+	repoPath, err := repoPathForTarget(targetPath, repo)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if repoPath == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
 
 	if err := os.Remove(targetPath); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -930,6 +915,48 @@ func unlinkStale(targetPath, repo string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func repoPathForTarget(targetPath, repo string) (string, error) {
+	info, err := os.Lstat(targetPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink == 0 {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+
+	src, err := os.Readlink(targetPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if !filepath.IsAbs(src) {
+		src = filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(targetPath), src)
+	}
+	src = filepath.Clean(src)
+
+	repoAbs, err := filepath.Abs(repo)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	rel, err := filepath.Rel(repoAbs, src)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if strings.HasPrefix(rel, "..") {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+
+	parts := strings.Split(rel, string(os.PathSeparator))
+	if len(parts) < 3 {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	if parts[1] != filesDirName {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+
+	return filepath.Join(repoAbs, rel), nil
+}
+
 func restorePackage(filesDir, targetRoot string, dryRun bool) error {
 	filesAbs, err := filepath.Abs(filesDir)
 	if err != nil {