[coreutils] Help with "ln" command using -b --suffix options

[Surfin Ten]

According to Section 2.2 "Backup options" of the GNU coreutils
documenation, using --backup=existing will make numbered backups of
files that already have them, simple backups of the others.

However, issuing the following command results in this (I realize in
the example it doesn't make sense that a person would want to do this,
but this is the easiest way to explain what I am trying to do as part
of a larger project):

First command:
ln --backup=existing -s myfile.txt link_to_myfile.txt          //
creates symbolic link called "link_to_myfile.txt"

Second command (identical to the first):
ln --backup=existing -s myfile.txt link_to_myfle.txt          //
creates symbolic link called "link_to_myfile.txt~ (note the tilde at
the end since a link with the same name already exists)

Third command (identical to the first and second):
ln --backup=existing -s myfile.txt link_to_myfile.txt         //
overwrites the link created by the second command, does *not* create a
numbered backup

My question is, shouldn't use of the --backup=existing option result
in the third command creating a link called "link_to_myfile.txt~1"
since the documentation says --backup=existing creates numbered
backups?

Thanks,

Sam