diff --git a/changelog/66939.fixed.md b/changelog/66939.fixed.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a68f15f7f129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/66939.fixed.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Allows file.symlink to pass a string to cmd_check
diff --git a/salt/state.py b/salt/state.py
index b29016560d92..5129b1929c40 100644
--- a/salt/state.py
+++ b/salt/state.py
@@ -1231,6 +1231,8 @@ def _run_check_cmd(self, low_data):
         cmd_opts = {}
         if "shell" in self.opts["grains"]:
             cmd_opts["shell"] = self.opts["grains"].get("shell")
+        if isinstance(low_data["check_cmd"], str):
+            low_data["check_cmd"] = [low_data["check_cmd"]]
         for entry in low_data["check_cmd"]:
             cmd = self.functions["cmd.retcode"](
                 entry, ignore_retcode=True, python_shell=True, **cmd_opts
diff --git a/tests/pytests/integration/modules/test_file.py b/tests/pytests/integration/modules/test_file.py
index f68031b67e71..ef8b3b4eb1c3 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/integration/modules/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/integration/modules/test_file.py
@@ -6,6 +6,54 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+import salt.utils.win_dacl
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def setup_symlink(tmp_path):
+    name = tmp_path / "test-symlink"
+    name.mkdir()
+    if salt.utils.platform.is_windows():
+        principal = salt.utils.win_functions.get_current_user()
+        salt.utils.win_dacl.set_owner(obj_name=str(name), principal=principal)
+        salt.utils.win_dacl.set_inheritance(obj_name=str(name), enabled=True)
+    source_file = name / "source"
+    source_file.write_text("jaguar", encoding="utf-8")
+    assert source_file.exists()
+    assert source_file.is_file()
+    assert name.exists()
+    assert name.is_dir()
+    return str(name), str(source_file)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(params=["str", "list"])
+def sls_content(setup_symlink, request):
+    name, symlink_file = setup_symlink
+    string_contents = """
+    {name}/testing:
+      file.symlink:
+        - target: {symlink_file}
+        - makedirs: true
+        - check_cmd: grep 'jaguar' {symlink_file}
+    """.format(
+        name=name, symlink_file=symlink_file
+    )
+    list_contents = """
+    {name}/testing:
+      file.symlink:
+        - target: {symlink_file}
+        - makedirs: true
+        - check_cmd:
+          - grep 'jaguar' {symlink_file}
+          - grep "j" {symlink_file}
+    """.format(
+        name=name, symlink_file=symlink_file
+    )
+    if request.param == str:
+        return string_contents, name, symlink_file
+    else:
+        return list_contents, name, symlink_file
+
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("verify_ssl", [True, False])
 @pytest.mark.slow_test
@@ -197,3 +245,19 @@ def test_check_file_meta_verify_ssl(
         )
     else:
         assert "SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED" in ret.stderr
+
+
+@pytest.mark.slow_test
+def test_create_symlink_with_check_cmd(salt_call_cli, salt_master, sls_content):
+    """
+    file.symlink test to make sure check_cmd runs before
+    creating the symlink and can run a list of commands
+    """
+    sls_contents, name, symlink_file = sls_content
+    with salt_master.state_tree.base.temp_file("test_symlink.sls", sls_contents):
+        ret = salt_call_cli.run("state.apply", "test_symlink")
+        symlink_file = os.path.join(name, "testing")
+        assert os.path.exists(symlink_file)
+        assert os.path.islink(symlink_file)
+        expected_comment = "check_cmd determined the state succeeded"
+        assert expected_comment in ret.stdout