diff --git a/mercurial/posix.py b/mercurial/posix.py
--- a/mercurial/posix.py
+++ b/mercurial/posix.py
@@ -557,3 +557,11 @@ class unixdomainserver(socket.socket):
         if self.realpath != self.path:
             okayifmissing(os.unlink, self.realpath)
             okayifmissing(os.rmdir, os.path.dirname(self.realpath))
+
+def statislink(st):
+    '''check whether a stat result is a symlink'''
+    return st and stat.S_ISLNK(st.st_mode)
+
+def statisexec(st):
+    '''check whether a stat result is an executable file'''
+    return st and (st.st_mode & 0100 != 0)
diff --git a/mercurial/util.py b/mercurial/util.py
--- a/mercurial/util.py
+++ b/mercurial/util.py
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ spawndetached = platform.spawndetached
 split = platform.split
 sshargs = platform.sshargs
 statfiles = getattr(osutil, 'statfiles', platform.statfiles)
+statisexec = platform.statisexec
+statislink = platform.statislink
 termwidth = platform.termwidth
 testpid = platform.testpid
 umask = platform.umask
diff --git a/mercurial/windows.py b/mercurial/windows.py
--- a/mercurial/windows.py
+++ b/mercurial/windows.py
@@ -337,3 +337,11 @@ def lookupreg(key, valname=None, scope=N
             pass
 
 expandglobs = True
+
+def statislink(st):
+    '''check whether a stat result is a symlink'''
+    return False
+
+def statisexec(st):
+    '''check whether a stat result is an executable file'''
+    return False