for example, lets the /home/irina/mavens/mytest is link to /home/irina/IdeaProjects/mavens/mytest folder, where some maven project is located (here - master/pom.xml with main project and module1/pom.xml for module project) In IDEA open the /home/irina/mavens/mytest/master/pom.xml: the idea project is created normally, but sometimes after resulted project open ypu get 2 modules in MavenProjects view for same module: one entry - for module in its actual location, second - for module in linked one. Refresh helps