diff --git a/src/dotenv/main.py b/src/dotenv/main.py
index 5faa7f0e..402bac76 100644
--- a/src/dotenv/main.py
+++ b/src/dotenv/main.py
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ def dotenv_values(
 
 def _is_file_or_fifo(path: StrPath) -> bool:
     """
-    Return True if `path` exists and is either a regular file or a FIFO.
+    Return True if `path` exists and is either a regular file, a FIFO, or a character device.
     """
     if os.path.isfile(path):
         return True
@@ -529,4 +529,4 @@ def _is_file_or_fifo(path: StrPath) -> bool:
     except (FileNotFoundError, OSError):
         return False
 
-    return stat.S_ISFIFO(st.st_mode)
+    return stat.S_ISFIFO(st.st_mode) or stat.S_ISCHR(st.st_mode)
diff --git a/tests/test_fifo_dotenv.py b/tests/test_fifo_dotenv.py
index 2aa31779..fd2a65d7 100644
--- a/tests/test_fifo_dotenv.py
+++ b/tests/test_fifo_dotenv.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import logging
 import os
 import pathlib
 import sys
@@ -29,3 +30,11 @@ def writer():
 
     assert ok is True
     assert os.getenv("MY_PASSWORD") == "pipe-secret"
+
+
+def test_load_dotenv_from_devnull(caplog):
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.INFO):
+        ok = load_dotenv(dotenv_path=os.devnull, verbose=True)
+
+    assert ok is False
+    assert "could not find configuration file" not in caplog.text