plasma-shell does not start correctly if some paths are set to symlinks

[Jacopo De Simoi]

Dear Frameworkers, 

  I encountered a strange issue: while moving around my installation (from SSD 
to HDD) I created a (symbolic) link from /usr/kf5 to a new location 
(/scratch/usr/kf5) and left all paths (e.g. QML2_IMPORT_PATH) set to the 
original location (/usr/kf5). 
In this case plasma-shell fails to start with the following output:

plasma-shell(5371)/default QStandardPaths::writableLocation: QStandardPaths: 
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set, defaulting to '/tmp/runtime-k5me'
plasma_shell(5371)/default QXcbConnection::xi2Select: lookup true
plasma_shell(5371)/default KSycocaPrivate::openDatabase: Trying to open 
ksycoca from "/home/k5me/.cache/ksycoca5"
plasma_shell(5371)/default KServiceTypeTrader::defaultOffers: 
KServiceTypeTrader: serviceType "Plasma/LayoutTemplate" not found
plasma_shell(5371)/default QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: 
QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: stat(".") failed
plasma_shell(5371)/default PlatformComponentsPlugin::PlatformComponentsPlugin: 
instantiated plugin object
plasma_shell(5371)/default PlatformComponentsPlugin::registerTypes: plugin 
loaded, registering types  org.kde.plasma.platformcomponents
plasma_shell(5371)/default err_method_notfound: QObject::connect: No such 
signal org::freedesktop::UPower::DeviceAdded(QDBusObjectPath) in 
/scratch/kde/src5/frameworks/solid/src/solid/backends/upower/upowermanager.cpp:73
plasma_shell(5371)/default err_method_notfound: QObject::connect: No such 
signal org::freedesktop::UPower::DeviceRemoved(QDBusObjectPath) in 
/scratch/kde/src5/frameworks/solid/src/solid/backends/upower/upowermanager.cpp:75
plasma_shell(5371)/default Application::setApplication: setting the 
application to "xterm"
plasma_shell(5371)/default Application::setApplication: setting the 
application to "xterm"
plasma_shell(5371)/default Application::setRunning: running? false
plasma_shell(5371)/default unknown: 
file:///usr/kf5/share/plasma/shells/org.kde.blank/contents/loader.qml:64: 
ReferenceError: i18n is not defined
plasma_shell(5371)/default QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: 
QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: stat(".") failed
plasma_shell(5371)/default ShellCorona::currentActivityChanged: Activity 
changed: "2a75dab3-b1d7-48fb-b93a-8d74412bbc4f"
plasma_shell(5371)/default QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: 
QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: stat(".") failed
plasma_shell(5371)/default QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: 
QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: stat(".") failed
plasma_shell(5371)/default unknown: file:///: File not found
plasma_shell(5371)/default PlasmaQuickViewPrivate::setContainment: using as 
graphic containment ContainmentInterface (this = 0x2477650 , name= "" , parent 
= 0x0 , geometry = QRectF(0,0 0x0) , z = 0 ) Plasma::Containment(0x2476960)
plasma_shell(5371)/default QCoreApplication::postEvent: 
QCoreApplication::postEvent: Unexpected null receiver
plasma_shell(5371)/default QCoreApplication::postEvent: 
QCoreApplication::postEvent: Unexpected null receiver
plasma_shell(5371)/default QmlObject::setSource: Opening  QUrl( "file:" )  
plasma_shell(5371)/default QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: 
QFileSystemEngine::currentPath: stat(".") failed
plasma_shell(5371)/default QmlObjectPrivate::errorPrint: "file:///"
 "Error loading QML file.
File not found
"
plasma_shell(5371)/default WallpaperInterface::syncWallpaperPackage: Error 
loading the wallpaper (file:///: File not found)
plasma_shell(5371)/default PlasmaQuickViewPrivate::setContainment: Could not 
set containment property on rootObject
plasma_shell(5371)/default QXcbConnection::xi2Select: lookup true

“fails to start” means that I obtain an empty window (i.e. border+shadow, but 
completely transparent interior) named plasma-shell

resolving the symlink in the paths (i.e. setting them to /scratch/usr/kf5) 
solves the issue. 

Is this intended or should I open a bug? 

Cheers
  __J