diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -2381,8 +2381,19 @@ def add(ui, repo, match, prefix, uipathf
             full=False,
         )
     ):
+        entry = dirstate.get_entry(f)
+        # We don't want to even attmpt to add back files that have been removed
+        # It would lead to a misleading message saying we're adding the path,
+        # and can also lead to file/dir conflicts when attempting to add it.
+        removed = entry and entry.removed
         exact = match.exact(f)
-        if exact or not explicitonly and f not in wctx and repo.wvfs.lexists(f):
+        if (
+            exact
+            or not explicitonly
+            and f not in wctx
+            and repo.wvfs.lexists(f)
+            and not removed
+        ):
             if cca:
                 cca(f)
             names.append(f)
diff --git a/tests/test-symlinks.t b/tests/test-symlinks.t
--- a/tests/test-symlinks.t
+++ b/tests/test-symlinks.t
@@ -210,14 +210,10 @@ can add with --include
 
   $ hg add -I foo
   adding foo
-  adding foo/a (known-bad-output !)
-  abort: file 'foo' in dirstate clashes with 'foo/a' (known-bad-output !)
-  [255]
   $ hg status
   A bar/a
-  A foo (missing-correct-output !)
+  A foo
   R foo/a
-  ? foo (known-bad-output !)
 
   $ cd ..