@@ -444,6 +444,20 @@ def _checked_abspath(
                 raise ValueError("Submodule path %r contains a symbolic link" % relative_path)
         return path
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _renames(source: PathLike, destination: PathLike) -> None:
+        os.makedirs(osp.dirname(destination), exist_ok=True)
+        os.rename(source, destination)
+        # Match renames() cleanup, but stop before directory symlinks: Windows
+        # rmdir() removes the link even when its target is nonempty.
+        parent = osp.dirname(source)
+        while parent and not osp.islink(parent):
+            try:
+                os.rmdir(parent)
+            except OSError:
+                break
+            parent = osp.dirname(parent)
+
     @classmethod
     def _write_git_file_and_module_config(cls, working_tree_dir: PathLike, module_abspath: PathLike) -> None:
         """Write a ``.git`` file containing a (preferably) relative path to the actual
@@ -1120,7 +1134,7 @@ def move(self, module_path: PathLike, configuration: bool = True, module: bool =
         # Move the module into place if possible.
         renamed_module = False
         if module and osp.exists(cur_path):
-            os.renames(cur_path, module_checkout_abspath)
+            self._renames(cur_path, module_checkout_abspath)
             renamed_module = True
 
             if osp.isfile(osp.join(module_checkout_abspath, ".git")):
@@ -1151,7 +1165,7 @@ def move(self, module_path: PathLike, configuration: bool = True, module: bool =
             # END handle configuration flag
         except Exception:
             if renamed_module:
-                os.renames(module_checkout_abspath, cur_path)
+                self._renames(module_checkout_abspath, cur_path)
             # END undo module renaming
             raise
         # END handle undo rename
@@ -1504,10 +1518,10 @@ def rename(self, new_name: str) -> "Submodule":
             # Let's be sure the submodule name is not so obviously tied to a directory.
             if str(destination_module_abspath).startswith(str(mod.git_dir)):
                 tmp_dir = self._module_abspath(self.repo, self.path, str(uuid.uuid4()))
-                os.renames(source_dir, tmp_dir)
+                self._renames(source_dir, tmp_dir)
                 source_dir = tmp_dir
             # END handle self-containment
-            os.renames(source_dir, destination_module_abspath)
+            self._renames(source_dir, destination_module_abspath)
             if mod.working_tree_dir:
                 self._write_git_file_and_module_config(mod.working_tree_dir, destination_module_abspath)
         # END move separate git repository
 
@@ -252,14 +252,29 @@ def test_submodule_rejects_checkout_and_gitmodules_symlinks(movable_submodule, t
     assert (root / "moved").is_dir()
 
 
-def test_submodule_allows_symlink_above_worktree(movable_submodule, tmp_path):
+@pytest.fixture
+def windows_directory_symlink_removal(monkeypatch):
+    """Exercise Windows rmdir semantics on POSIX, where rmdir rejects symlinks."""
+    if sys.platform != "win32":
+        original_rmdir = os.rmdir
+
+        def rmdir(path, *args, **kwargs):
+            if osp.islink(path):
+                return os.unlink(path, *args, **kwargs)
+            return original_rmdir(path, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, "rmdir", rmdir)
+
+
+def test_submodule_allows_symlink_above_worktree(movable_submodule, tmp_path, windows_directory_symlink_removal):
     """Allow adding and moving submodules when the parent is opened through a symlink."""
     sm = movable_submodule
     alias = tmp_path / "alias"
     alias.symlink_to(sm.repo.working_tree_dir, target_is_directory=True)
     with git.Repo(alias) as parent:
         added = Submodule.add(parent, "new", "new", sm.url)
         added.move("moved")
+        assert alias.is_symlink()
         with added.module() as module:
             assert Path(module.git.rev_parse("--show-toplevel")).resolve() == Path(added.abspath).resolve()
         assert Path(added.abspath, "file").read_text() == "content"
@@ -296,7 +311,9 @@ def test_submodule_allows_metadata_destination_symlinks(movable_submodule, tmp_p
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("kind", ["modules", "intermediate", "leaf", "gitfile", "config", "alias"])
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("operation", ["update", "move", "rename", "remove"])
-def test_submodule_allows_existing_metadata_symlinks(movable_submodule, tmp_path, kind, operation):
+def test_submodule_allows_existing_metadata_symlinks(
+    movable_submodule, tmp_path, kind, operation, windows_directory_symlink_removal
+):
     """Keep submodule operations compatible with existing symlinks in Git metadata.
 
     Cover linked metadata directories, gitfiles, configs, and internal aliases.
@@ -336,6 +353,12 @@ def test_submodule_allows_existing_metadata_symlinks(movable_submodule, tmp_path
         sm.move("moved")
     else:
         sm.rename("renamed")
+    if kind == "modules" or (operation == "rename" and kind in ("intermediate", "alias")):
+        assert link.is_symlink()
+        assert link.is_dir()
+    if operation == "rename" and kind == "leaf":
+        assert (modules / "renamed").is_symlink()
+        assert target.is_dir()
     with sm.module() as module:
         assert Path(module.git.rev_parse("--show-toplevel")).resolve() == Path(sm.abspath).resolve()
     assert Path(sm.abspath, "file").read_text() == "content"