diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 35254b3..a9e583f 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"git.eeqj.de/sneak/smartconfig"
@@ -779,10 +780,12 @@ func loadConfigFile(log *slog.Logger, appName string) (*smartconfig.Config, erro
 	for _, path := range configPaths {
 		cleanPath := filepath.Clean(path)
 
-		// Only a config file that does not exist is skipped. One that
-		// cannot be read or does not parse is a fatal startup error.
+		// Only a config file that does not exist is skipped, including
+		// one whose path runs through a file, such as under a HOME of
+		// /dev/null. One that cannot be read or does not parse is a
+		// fatal startup error.
 		_, statErr := os.Stat(cleanPath)
-		if errors.Is(statErr, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+		if errors.Is(statErr, fs.ErrNotExist) || errors.Is(statErr, syscall.ENOTDIR) {
 			continue
 		}