diff -r bdd257d60da2 Lib/mhlib.py
--- a/Lib/mhlib.py	Tue Nov 10 19:53:37 2015 +0200
+++ b/Lib/mhlib.py	Wed Nov 11 09:48:17 2015 +0200
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ class MH:
         path = os.path.expanduser(path)
         if not os.path.isdir(path): raise Error, 'MH() path not found'
         self.path = path
+        self._use_nlinks = os.stat(path).st_nlink >= 2
 
     def __repr__(self):
         """String representation."""
@@ -156,11 +157,12 @@ class MH:
         """Return the names of the subfolders in a given folder
         (prefixed with the given folder name)."""
         fullname = os.path.join(self.path, name)
-        # Get the link count so we can avoid listing folders
-        # that have no subfolders.
-        nlinks = os.stat(fullname).st_nlink
-        if nlinks <= 2:
-            return []
+        if self._use_nlinks:
+            # Get the link count so we can avoid listing folders
+            # that have no subfolders.
+            nlinks = os.stat(fullname).st_nlink
+            if nlinks <= 2:
+                return []
         subfolders = []
         subnames = os.listdir(fullname)
         for subname in subnames:
@@ -168,11 +170,12 @@ class MH:
             if os.path.isdir(fullsubname):
                 name_subname = os.path.join(name, subname)
                 subfolders.append(name_subname)
-                # Stop looking for subfolders when
-                # we've seen them all
-                nlinks = nlinks - 1
-                if nlinks <= 2:
-                    break
+                if self._use_nlinks:
+                    # Stop looking for subfolders when
+                    # we've seen them all
+                    nlinks = nlinks - 1
+                    if nlinks <= 2:
+                        break
         subfolders.sort()
         return subfolders
 
@@ -183,11 +186,12 @@ class MH:
     def listallsubfolders(self, name):
         """Return the names of subfolders in a given folder, recursively."""
         fullname = os.path.join(self.path, name)
-        # Get the link count so we can avoid listing folders
-        # that have no subfolders.
-        nlinks = os.stat(fullname).st_nlink
-        if nlinks <= 2:
-            return []
+        if self._use_nlinks:
+            # Get the link count so we can avoid listing folders
+            # that have no subfolders.
+            nlinks = os.stat(fullname).st_nlink
+            if nlinks <= 2:
+                return []
         subfolders = []
         subnames = os.listdir(fullname)
         for subname in subnames:
@@ -200,11 +204,12 @@ class MH:
                     subsubfolders = self.listallsubfolders(
                               name_subname)
                     subfolders = subfolders + subsubfolders
-                # Stop looking for subfolders when
-                # we've seen them all
-                nlinks = nlinks - 1
-                if nlinks <= 2:
-                    break
+                if self._use_nlinks:
+                    # Stop looking for subfolders when
+                    # we've seen them all
+                    nlinks = nlinks - 1
+                    if nlinks <= 2:
+                        break
         subfolders.sort()
         return subfolders