diff --git a/src/uu/install/locales/en-US.ftl b/src/uu/install/locales/en-US.ftl
index 1b5b92e532..9279575183 100644
--- a/src/uu/install/locales/en-US.ftl
+++ b/src/uu/install/locales/en-US.ftl
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ install-error-override-directory-failed = cannot overwrite directory { $dir } wi
 install-error-same-file = { $file1 } and { $file2 } are the same file
 install-error-extra-operand = extra operand { $operand }
 { $usage }
-install-error-not-permitted = cannot remove { $path }: Operation not permitted
+install-error-not-permitted = cannot remove { $path }: Permission denied
 install-error-invalid-mode = Invalid mode string: { $error }
 install-error-mutually-exclusive-target = Options --target-directory and --no-target-directory are mutually exclusive
 install-error-mutually-exclusive-compare-strip = Options --compare and --strip are mutually exclusive
diff --git a/src/uu/install/src/install.rs b/src/uu/install/src/install.rs
index 58e16a381e..9b4eca5968 100644
--- a/src/uu/install/src/install.rs
+++ b/src/uu/install/src/install.rs
@@ -776,7 +776,11 @@ fn standard(mut paths: Vec<OsString>, b: &Behavior) -> UResult<()> {
             return Err(InstallError::SameFile(source.clone(), target.clone()).into());
         }
 
-        if target.is_file() || is_new_file_path(&target) {
+        // Existing non-directory targets include regular files *and* special
+        // nodes (e.g. /dev/full). Rely on exists()+!is_dir() rather than
+        // is_file(), which is false for char devices and would wrongly report
+        // "invalid target ... No such file" (issue #9934).
+        if is_new_file_path(&target) || (target.exists() && !target.is_dir()) {
             #[cfg(unix)]
             if let (Some(ref parent_fd), Some(ref filename)) = (target_parent_fd, target_filename) {
                 if b.compare && !need_copy(source, &target, b) {
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_install.rs b/tests/by-util/test_install.rs
index 949c67b989..8b0aab61e2 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_install.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_install.rs
@@ -2933,6 +2933,20 @@ fn test_install_proc_self_mem_as_dst() {
         .stderr_contains("cannot remove");
 }
 
+#[test]
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn test_install_dev_null_to_dev_full_permission() {
+    // GNU reports cannot remove '/dev/full': Permission denied for char devices
+    // that refuse unlink, not "invalid target ... No such file" (issue #9934).
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .arg("/dev/null")
+        .arg("/dev/full")
+        .fails()
+        .stderr_is("install: cannot remove '/dev/full': Permission denied\n");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_install_backup_nil_same_file() {
     let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());