diff --git a/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl b/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl
index b2f749a0b82..41af9150ad7 100644
--- a/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl
+++ b/src/uu/shred/locales/en-US.ftl
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ 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
 
 # Option help text
diff --git a/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl b/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl
index d03b9d74ad8..aa248254a35 100644
--- a/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl
+++ b/src/uu/shred/locales/fr-FR.ftl
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ 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
 
 # Texte d'aide des options
diff --git a/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs b/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs
index c3e8bf40bb7..6387b5e9ddc 100644
--- a/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs
+++ b/src/uu/shred/src/shred.rs
@@ -651,19 +651,18 @@ fn wipe_file(
         display_path
     };
 
-    if path_str.as_encoded_bytes().ends_with(b"/") {
-        if path.is_dir() {
-            return Err(USimpleError::new(
-                1,
-                translate_text!("shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-is-a-directory", "file" => display_path.maybe_quote()),
-            ));
-        }
-        if fs::metadata(path).is_err_and(|e| e.kind() == io::ErrorKind::NotADirectory) {
-            return Err(USimpleError::new(
-                1,
-                translate_text!("shred-failed-to-open-for-writing-not-a-directory", "file" => display_path.maybe_quote()),
-            ));
-        }
+    if path_str.as_encoded_bytes().ends_with(b"/")
+        && let Err(e) = fs::metadata(path)
+        && e.kind() == io::ErrorKind::NotADirectory
+    {
+        return Err(USimpleError::new(
+            1,
+            format!(
+                "{}: {}",
+                translate_text!("shred-failed-to-open-for-writing", "file" => display_path.maybe_quote()),
+                strip_errno(&e)
+            ),
+        ));
     }
 
     // On OpenBSD, /dev/fd/1 is a character device rather than a symlink.
@@ -692,7 +691,8 @@ fn wipe_file(
     // "no such file" error while a permission error falls through to the
     // open-for-writing below, which surfaces the real reason.
     match get_metadata() {
-        Ok(md) if !md.is_file() => {
+        // Directories fall through so opening them for writing reports EISDIR.
+        Ok(md) if !md.is_file() && !md.is_dir() => {
             return Err(USimpleError::new(
                 1,
                 translate_text!("shred-not-a-file", "file" => display_path.maybe_quote()),
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs b/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs
index 519c4ceca61..103c1fe4e97 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_shred.rs
@@ -467,23 +467,23 @@ fn test_shred_trailing_slash_on_file() {
     let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
     let at = &scene.fixtures;
     at.touch("a");
-    scene
-        .ucmd()
-        .arg("a/")
-        .fails()
-        .stderr_contains("Not a directory");
+    let result = scene.ucmd().arg("a/").fails();
+    result.stderr_contains("a/: failed to open for writing: ");
+    // Windows reports this as "The directory name is invalid."
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    result.stderr_contains("Not a directory");
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn test_shred_trailing_slash_on_dir() {
-    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
-    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+#[rstest::rstest]
+#[case("d")]
+#[case("d/")]
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn test_shred_on_dir(#[case] arg: &str) {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
     at.mkdir("d");
-    scene
-        .ucmd()
-        .arg("d/")
-        .fails()
-        .stderr_contains("Is a directory");
+    ucmd.arg(arg).fails_with_code(1).stderr_only(format!(
+        "shred: {arg}: failed to open for writing: Is a directory\n"
+    ));
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ fn test_couldnt_rename() {
 
 #[rstest::rstest]
 #[case(&["1e3"], "shred: 1e3: No such file or directory\n")]
-#[case(&["007"], "shred: 007: Not a file\n")]
+#[case(&["007"], "shred: 007: failed to open for writing: Is a directory\n")]
 #[cfg(not(windows))]
 fn test_numeric_looking_file_names_are_kept_verbatim(
     #[case] args: &[&str],