diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Core/simutest/objectmodel/BaseLink_simutest.cpp b/Sofa/framework/Core/simutest/objectmodel/BaseLink_simutest.cpp
index 94bfe56f5ae..03f69825c08 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Core/simutest/objectmodel/BaseLink_simutest.cpp
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Core/simutest/objectmodel/BaseLink_simutest.cpp
@@ -114,6 +114,30 @@ TEST_F(BaseLink_test, remove)
     ASSERT_FALSE(owner.l_target.remove(nullptr));
 }
 
+TEST_F(BaseLink_test, add)
+{
+    FakeComponent Component1;
+    Component1.setName("Component1");
+    FakeComponent Component2;
+    Component2.setName("Component2");
+    FakeComponent Component3;
+    Component3.setName("Component3");
+
+    FakeComponent* ptr;
+    ptr = &Component2;
+
+    EXPECT_EQ(Component1.l_target.getValueString(), "");
+
+    Component1.l_target.add(ptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(Component1.l_target.getValueString(), "@Component2");
+
+    ptr = &Component3;
+
+    Component1.l_target.add(ptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(Component1.l_target.getValueString(), "@Component2 @Component3");
+}
+
+
 //////////////////////// Testing valid path //////////////////////////////////////
 class MultiLink_simutest : public BaseLink_test {};
 
diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseComponent.cpp b/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseComponent.cpp
index c611e7b7a3c..52b37938401 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseComponent.cpp
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseComponent.cpp
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ void BaseComponent::addSlave(BaseComponent::SPtr s)
     if (previous == this) return;
     if (previous)
         previous->l_slaves.remove(s.get());
-    l_slaves.add(s);
+    l_slaves.add(s.get());
     if (previous)
         this->getContext()->notifyMoveSlave(previous.get(), this, s.get());
     else
diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseLink.h b/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseLink.h
index 8106c223e84..4c7c879f97b 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseLink.h
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/BaseLink.h
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ class SOFA_CORE_API BaseLink
 
     /// Add a new target to the link.
     bool add(Base* baseptr, const std::string& path) { return _doAdd_(baseptr, path); }
+    bool add(Base* baseptr) { return _doAdd_(baseptr); }
 
     /// Change the link's target at the provided index.
     bool set(Base* baseptr, size_t index=0) { return _doSet_(baseptr, index); }
@@ -183,6 +184,7 @@ class SOFA_CORE_API BaseLink
     virtual void _doSetOwner_(Base* owner) = 0;
     virtual Base* _doGet_(const size_t=0) const = 0;
     virtual bool _doAdd_(Base* target, const std::string&) = 0;
+    virtual bool _doAdd_(Base*) = 0;
     virtual void _doClear_() = 0;
     virtual std::string _doGetLinkedPath_(const size_t=0) const = 0;
     virtual bool _doRemove_(Base* target) = 0;
diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/Link.h b/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/Link.h
index 5571d3cc7b0..6180eec630f 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/Link.h
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Core/src/sofa/core/objectmodel/Link.h
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ class TLink : public BaseLink
         return true;
     }
 
-    bool add(DestPtr v)
+    bool addDestPtr(DestPtr v)
     {
         if (!v)
             return false;
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ class TLink : public BaseLink
         return true;
     }
 
-    bool add(DestPtr v, const std::string& path)
+    bool addDestPtrPath(DestPtr v, const std::string& path)
     {
         if (!v && path.empty())
             return false;
@@ -503,7 +503,25 @@ class TLink : public BaseLink
         }
 
         /// TLink:adding accepts nullptr (for a not yet resolved link).
-        return TLink::add(destptr, path);
+        return TLink::addDestPtrPath(destptr, path);
+    }
+
+    bool _doAdd_(Base* baseptr) override
+    {
+        /// If the pointer is null and the path empty we do nothing
+        if(!baseptr)
+            return false;
+
+        /// Downcast the pointer to a compatible type and
+        /// If the types are not compatible with the Link we returns false
+        auto destptr = castTo<DestType*>(baseptr);
+        if(!destptr)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        /// TLink:adding accepts nullptr (for a not yet resolved link).
+        return TLink::addDestPtr(destptr);
     }
 
     /// Returns false on type mismatch
@@ -577,7 +595,7 @@ class MultiLink : public TLink<TOwnerType,TDestType,TFlags|BaseLink::FLAG_MULTIL
     MultiLink(const BaseLink::InitLink<OwnerType>& init, DestPtr val)
         : Inherit(init), m_validator(nullptr)
     {
-        if (val) this->add(val);
+        if (val) this->addDestPtr(val);
     }
 
     virtual ~MultiLink()
@@ -654,7 +672,7 @@ class SingleLink : public TLink<TOwnerType,TDestType,TFlags&~BaseLink::FLAG_MULT
     SingleLink(const BaseLink::InitLink<OwnerType>& init, DestPtr val)
         : Inherit(init), m_validator(nullptr)
     {
-        if (val) this->add(val);
+        if (val) this->addDestPtr(val);
     }
 
     virtual ~SingleLink()
diff --git a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/Node.cpp b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/Node.cpp
index 11a9c821a38..23303e6ea6b 100644
--- a/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/Node.cpp
+++ b/Sofa/framework/Simulation/Core/src/sofa/simulation/Node.cpp
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ bool Node::doAddObject(sofa::core::objectmodel::BaseComponent::SPtr sobj, sofa::
 {
     this->setObjectContext(sobj);
     if(insertionLocation == sofa::core::objectmodel::TypeOfInsertion::AtEnd)
-        object.add(sobj);
+        object.add(sobj.get());
     else
         object.addBegin(sobj);
 
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ void Node::doAddChild(BaseNode::SPtr node)
 {
     const Node::SPtr dagnode = sofa::core::objectmodel::SPtr_static_cast<Node>(node);
     setDirtyDescendancy();
-    child.add(dagnode);
+    child.add(dagnode.get());
     dagnode->l_parents.add(this);
     dagnode->l_parents.updateLinks(); // to fix load-time unresolved links
 }