diff --git a/.changeset/smooth-zoos-rush.md b/.changeset/smooth-zoos-rush.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7ddc8b4020
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/smooth-zoos-rush.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@pnpm/global-bin-dir": patch
+---
+
+When searching for a suitable global bin directory, search for symlinked node, npm, pnpm commands, not only command files.
diff --git a/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts b/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts
index 9fdd206e0b..956aaf0327 100644
--- a/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ const NODE_RELATED_COMMANDS = new Set(['pnpm', 'npm', 'node'])
 function dirHasNodeRelatedCommand (dir: string) {
   try {
     return fs.readdirSync(dir, { withFileTypes: true })
-      .filter((entry) => entry.isFile())
+      // We are searching for files or symlinks, not directories
+      .filter((entry) => !entry.isDirectory())
       .map(({ name }) => name.toLowerCase())
       .some((file) => NODE_RELATED_COMMANDS.has(file.split('.')[0]))
   } catch (err) {
diff --git a/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts b/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts
index f546587a7d..1655a8000f 100644
--- a/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts
+++ b/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts
@@ -11,15 +11,15 @@ const makePath =
     : (...paths: string[]) => `/${path.join(...paths)}`
 
 let canWriteToDir!: typeof _canWriteToDir
-let readdirSync = (dir: string) => [] as Array<{ name: string, isFile: () => boolean }>
+let readdirSync = (dir: string) => [] as Array<{ name: string, isDirectory: () => boolean }>
 const FAKE_PATH = 'FAKE_PATH'
 
 function makeFileEntry (name: string) {
-  return { name, isFile: () => true }
+  return { name, isDirectory: () => false }
 }
 
 function makeDirEntry (name: string) {
-  return { name, isFile: () => false }
+  return { name, isDirectory: () => true }
 }
 
 const globalBinDir = proxiquire('../lib/index.js', {