diff -r 29d67ac7a9d5 Lib/pathlib.py
--- a/Lib/pathlib.py	Tue Dec 03 02:05:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/Lib/pathlib.py	Tue Dec 03 15:51:50 2013 +0800
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@
     def casefold_parts(self, parts):
         return [p.lower() for p in parts]
 
-    def resolve(self, path):
+    def resolve(self, path, *, strict=True):
         s = str(path)
         if not s:
             return os.getcwd()
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@
     def casefold_parts(self, parts):
         return parts
 
-    def resolve(self, path):
+    def resolve(self, path, *, strict=True):
         sep = self.sep
         def split(p):
             return [x for x in p.split(sep) if x]
@@ -282,7 +282,10 @@
                 target = accessor.readlink(cur)
             except OSError as e:
                 if e.errno != EINVAL:
-                    raise
+                    if strict:
+                        raise
+                    else:
+                        return cur
                 # Not a symlink
                 resolved = cur
             else:
@@ -1013,7 +1016,7 @@
         obj._init(template=self)
         return obj
 
-    def resolve(self):
+    def resolve(self, *, strict=True):
         """
         Make the path absolute, resolving all symlinks on the way and also
         normalizing it (for example turning slashes into backslashes under
@@ -1021,7 +1024,7 @@
         """
         if self._closed:
             self._raise_closed()
-        s = self._flavour.resolve(self)
+        s = self._flavour.resolve(self, strict=strict)
         if s is None:
             # No symlink resolution => for consistency, raise an error if
             # the path doesn't exist or is forbidden
diff -r 29d67ac7a9d5 Lib/test/test_pathlib.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_pathlib.py	Tue Dec 03 02:05:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pathlib.py	Tue Dec 03 15:51:50 2013 +0800
@@ -1252,6 +1252,12 @@
         with self.assertRaises(OSError) as cm:
             p.resolve()
         self.assertEqual(cm.exception.errno, errno.ENOENT)
+        # Non-strict
+        self.assertEqual(str(p.resolve(strict=False)),
+                         os.path.join(BASE, 'foo'))
+        p = P(BASE, 'foo', 'in', 'a', 'fairyland')
+        self.assertEqual(str(p.resolve(strict=False)),
+                         os.path.join(BASE, 'foo'))
         # These are all relative symlinks
         p = P(BASE, 'dirB', 'fileB')
         self._check_resolve_relative(p, p)
@@ -1261,6 +1267,10 @@
         self._check_resolve_relative(p, P(BASE, 'dirB', 'fileB'))
         p = P(BASE, 'dirB', 'linkD', 'fileB')
         self._check_resolve_relative(p, P(BASE, 'dirB', 'fileB'))
+        # Non-strict
+        p = P(BASE, 'dirA', 'linkC', 'fileB', 'foo', 'in', 'a', 'fairyland')
+        self.assertEqual(p.resolve(strict=False),
+                         P(BASE, 'dirB', 'fileB', 'foo'))
         # Now create absolute symlinks
         d = tempfile.mkdtemp(suffix='-dirD')
         self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, d)
@@ -1268,6 +1278,9 @@
         os.symlink(join('dirB'), os.path.join(d, 'linkY'))
         p = P(BASE, 'dirA', 'linkX', 'linkY', 'fileB')
         self._check_resolve_absolute(p, P(BASE, 'dirB', 'fileB'))
+        # Non-strict
+        p = P(BASE, 'dirA', 'linkX', 'linkY', 'foo', 'in', 'a', 'fairy', 'land')
+        self.assertEqual(p.resolve(strict=False), P(BASE, 'dirB', 'foo'))
 
     def test_with(self):
         p = self.cls(BASE)
@@ -1632,6 +1645,10 @@
         self._check_symlink_loop(BASE, 'linkY')
         os.symlink('linkZ/../linkZ', join('linkZ'))
         self._check_symlink_loop(BASE, 'linkZ')
+        # Non-strict
+        path = P(BASE, 'linkX', 'foo')
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            path.resolve(strict=False)
         # Loops with absolute symlinks
         os.symlink(join('linkU/inside'), join('linkU'))
         self._check_symlink_loop(BASE, 'linkU')
@@ -1639,6 +1656,10 @@
         self._check_symlink_loop(BASE, 'linkV')
         os.symlink(join('linkW/../linkW'), join('linkW'))
         self._check_symlink_loop(BASE, 'linkW')
+        # Non-strict
+        path = P(BASE, 'linkU', 'foo')
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            path.resolve(strict=False)
 
     def test_glob(self):
         P = self.cls