diff --git a/src/uu/install/src/install.rs b/src/uu/install/src/install.rs
index 51f0155910..38df659e4a 100644
--- a/src/uu/install/src/install.rs
+++ b/src/uu/install/src/install.rs
@@ -777,7 +777,7 @@ 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) {
+        if target.exists() || is_new_file_path(&target) {
             #[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 71f2fb494f..3cd04f8aff 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_install.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_install.rs
@@ -545,6 +545,22 @@ fn test_install_target_file_dev_null() {
     assert!(at.file_exists(file2));
 }
 
+#[test]
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn test_install_replaces_special_target() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+    let source = "source_file";
+    let target = "target_fifo";
+
+    at.write(source, "contents");
+    at.mkfifo(target);
+
+    ucmd.arg(source).arg(target).succeeds().no_stderr();
+
+    assert!(at.file_exists(target));
+    assert_eq!(at.read(target), "contents");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_install_nested_paths_copy_file() {
     let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();