diff --git a/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl b/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl
index b2f749a0b82..234f00e24b3 100644
--- a/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl
+++ b/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ shred-missing-file-operand = missing file operand
 shred-invalid-number-of-passes = invalid number of passes: {$passes}
 shred-cannot-open-random-source = cannot open random source: {$source}
 shred-invalid-file-size = invalid file size: {$size}
-shred-no-such-file-or-directory = {$file}: No such file or directory
 shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-not-a-directory = {$file}: failed to open for writing: Not a directory
 shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-is-a-directory = {$file}: failed to open for writing: Is a directory
 shred-not-a-file = {$file}: Not a file
+shred-invalid-file-type = {$file}: invalid file type
 
 # Option help text
 shred-force-help = change permissions to allow writing if necessary
@@ -72,5 +72,4 @@ shred-failed-to-remove-file = {$file}: failed to remove file
 shred-failed-to-clone-file-handle = failed to clone file handle
 shred-failed-to-seek-file = failed to seek in file
 shred-failed-to-read-seed-bytes = failed to read seed bytes from file
-shred-failed-to-get-metadata = failed to get file metadata
 shred-failed-to-set-permissions = failed to set file permissions
diff --git a/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl b/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl
index d03b9d74ad8..382739ff75d 100644
--- a/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl
+++ b/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ shred-missing-file-operand = opérande de fichier manquant
 shred-invalid-number-of-passes = nombre de passes invalide : {$passes}
 shred-cannot-open-random-source = impossible d'ouvrir la source aléatoire : {$source}
 shred-invalid-file-size = taille de fichier invalide : {$size}
-shred-no-such-file-or-directory = {$file} : Aucun fichier ou répertoire de ce type
 shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-not-a-directory = {$file} : impossible d'ouvrir en écriture : N'est pas un répertoire
 shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-is-a-directory = {$file} : impossible d'ouvrir en écriture : Est un répertoire
 shred-not-a-file = {$file} : N'est pas un fichier
+shred-invalid-file-type = {$file} : type de fichier invalide
 
 # Texte d'aide des options
 shred-force-help = modifier les permissions pour permettre l'écriture si nécessaire
@@ -71,5 +71,4 @@ shred-failed-to-remove-file = {$file} : impossible de supprimer le fichier
 shred-failed-to-clone-file-handle = échec du clonage du descripteur de fichier
 shred-failed-to-seek-file = échec de la recherche dans le fichier
 shred-failed-to-read-seed-bytes = échec de la lecture des octets de graine du fichier
-shred-failed-to-get-metadata = échec de l'obtention des métadonnées du fichier
 shred-failed-to-set-permissions = échec de la définition des permissions du fichier
diff --git a/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs b/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs
index 5d550a98edf..418e93ac21d 100644
--- a/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs
+++ b/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs
@@ -610,6 +610,31 @@ fn create_standard_pass_sequence(num_passes: usize) -> Vec<PassType> {
     sequence
 }
 
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn is_fifo(metadata: &fs::Metadata) -> bool {
+    use std::os::unix::fs::FileTypeExt;
+    metadata.file_type().is_fifo()
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(unix))]
+fn is_fifo(_metadata: &fs::Metadata) -> bool {
+    false
+}
+
+/// A character or block device, which shred does not overwrite yet.
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn is_special_file(metadata: &fs::Metadata) -> bool {
+    use std::os::unix::fs::FileTypeExt;
+    let file_type = metadata.file_type();
+    file_type.is_char_device() || file_type.is_block_device()
+}
+
+/// Anything but a regular file: `std` cannot tell the kinds apart here.
+#[cfg(not(unix))]
+fn is_special_file(metadata: &fs::Metadata) -> bool {
+    !metadata.is_file()
+}
+
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 #[allow(clippy::cognitive_complexity)]
 fn wipe_file(
@@ -626,45 +651,45 @@ fn wipe_file(
     // Get these potential errors out of the way first
     let path = Path::new(path_str);
 
-    if path_str.as_encoded_bytes().ends_with(b"/") {
-        if path.is_dir() {
+    // One stat classifies the file and later gives its size and mode. A FIFO
+    // has to be refused before the open below, which would block until a
+    // reader shows up. The stat errors (missing file, "f/" with `f` a file,
+    // no search permission on the parent) are the ones that open would meet,
+    // so they are reported the way GNU reports them: a failure to open for
+    // writing. The directory and "Not a directory" messages are spelled out
+    // because the OS text differs on Windows.
+    let metadata = match fs::metadata(path) {
+        Ok(md) if md.is_dir() => {
             return Err(USimpleError::new(
                 1,
                 translate!("shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-is-a-directory", "file" => path.maybe_quote()),
             ));
         }
-        if fs::metadata(path).is_err_and(|e| e.kind() == io::ErrorKind::NotADirectory) {
+        Ok(md) if is_fifo(&md) => {
             return Err(USimpleError::new(
                 1,
-                translate!("shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-not-a-directory", "file" => path.maybe_quote()),
+                translate!("shred-invalid-file-type", "file" => path.maybe_quote()),
             ));
         }
-    }
-
-    // `Path::exists()` and `Path::is_file()` both collapse any metadata error
-    // (including a permission error) into `false`, which made shred report a
-    // file whose parent directory lacks search permission as "No such file or
-    // directory". Inspect the metadata directly so a genuine `ENOENT` stays a
-    // "no such file" error while a permission error falls through to the
-    // open-for-writing below, which surfaces the real reason.
-    match fs::metadata(path) {
-        Ok(md) if !md.is_file() => {
+        Ok(md) if is_special_file(&md) => {
             return Err(USimpleError::new(
                 1,
                 translate!("shred-not-a-file", "file" => path.maybe_quote()),
             ));
         }
-        Err(err) if err.kind() == io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {
+        Ok(md) => md,
+        Err(err) if err.kind() == io::ErrorKind::NotADirectory => {
             return Err(USimpleError::new(
                 1,
-                translate!("shred-no-such-file-or-directory", "file" => path.maybe_quote()),
+                translate!("shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-not-a-directory", "file" => path.maybe_quote()),
             ));
         }
-        _ => {}
-    }
-
-    let metadata =
-        fs::metadata(path).map_err_context(|| translate!("shred-failed-to-get-metadata"))?;
+        Err(err) => {
+            return Err(err).map_err_context(
+                || translate!("shred-failed-to-open-for-writing", "file" => path.maybe_quote()),
+            );
+        }
+    };
 
     // If force is true, set file permissions to not-readonly.
     if force {
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs b/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs
index 09cea46b439..d01003fffd0 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs
@@ -502,13 +502,11 @@ fn test_shred_inaccessible_file_reports_real_error() {
     at.touch("locked/file");
     set_permissions(at.plus_as_string("locked"), Permissions::from_mode(0o000)).unwrap();
 
-    let result = scene.ucmd().arg("locked/file").fails();
-    result.stderr_contains("Permission denied");
-    assert!(
-        !result.stderr_str().contains("No such file"),
-        "shred misreported an inaccessible file as missing: {}",
-        result.stderr_str()
-    );
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .arg("locked/file")
+        .fails_with_code(1)
+        .stderr_only("shred: locked/file: failed to open for writing: Permission denied\n");
 
     // Restore search permission so the fixture directory can be cleaned up.
     set_permissions(at.plus_as_string("locked"), Permissions::from_mode(0o755)).unwrap();
@@ -585,3 +583,43 @@ fn test_couldnt_rename() {
         .fails_with_code(1)
         .stderr_is("shred: /proc/self/mem: Couldn't rename to '/proc/self/000': No such file or directory\n");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_shred_directory() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+    at.mkdir("d");
+    ucmd.arg("d")
+        .fails_with_code(1)
+        .stderr_only("shred: d: failed to open for writing: Is a directory\n");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_shred_missing_file() {
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .arg("missing")
+        .fails_with_code(1)
+        .stderr_only("shred: missing: failed to open for writing: No such file or directory\n");
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[cfg_attr(wasi_runner, ignore = "WASI: no FIFO or socket file types")]
+fn test_shred_fifo() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+    at.mkfifo("p");
+    ucmd.arg("p")
+        .fails_with_code(1)
+        .stderr_only("shred: p: invalid file type\n");
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[cfg_attr(wasi_runner, ignore = "WASI: no FIFO or socket file types")]
+fn test_shred_socket() {
+    // GNU reaches the open and reports its failure; so does shred here.
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+    let _listener = std::os::unix::net::UnixListener::bind(at.plus("s")).unwrap();
+    ucmd.arg("s")
+        .fails_with_code(1)
+        .stderr_contains("shred: s: failed to open for writing: ");
+}