diff --git a/internal/file/file_operator.go b/internal/file/file_operator.go
index b28b0807b..c886b9494 100644
--- a/internal/file/file_operator.go
+++ b/internal/file/file_operator.go
@@ -211,6 +211,15 @@ func (fo *FileOperator) WriteManifestFile(
 }
 
 func (fo *FileOperator) MoveFile(ctx context.Context, sourcePath, destPath string) error {
+	info, statErr := os.Stat(sourcePath)
+	if statErr != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to stat source file %s: %w", sourcePath, statErr)
+	}
+	if !info.Mode().IsRegular() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot backup non-regular file %s (type: %s) — resolve file manually on the data plane",
+			sourcePath, info.Mode().Type())
+	}
+
 	inputFile, openErr := os.Open(sourcePath)
 	if openErr != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to open source file %s: %w", sourcePath, openErr)
diff --git a/internal/file/file_operator_test.go b/internal/file/file_operator_test.go
index a16c9140f..d91a2fce6 100644
--- a/internal/file/file_operator_test.go
+++ b/internal/file/file_operator_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sync"
+	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/nginx/agent/v3/pkg/files"
@@ -179,3 +180,19 @@ func TestFileOperator_MoveFile_destFileDoesNotExist(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.FileExists(t, tempFile)
 	assert.NoFileExists(t, newFile)
 }
+
+func TestFileOperator_MoveFile_sourceIsNonRegularFile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+	fifoPath := filepath.Join(tempDir, "hang.conf")
+
+	err := syscall.Mkfifo(fifoPath, 0o644)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	fileOperator := NewFileOperator(&sync.RWMutex{})
+	err = fileOperator.MoveFile(t.Context(), fifoPath, filepath.Join(tempDir, "hang.conf.bak"))
+
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "non-regular file")
+}
diff --git a/internal/file/file_service_operator.go b/internal/file/file_service_operator.go
index 1ae0ef988..7dd8103fc 100644
--- a/internal/file/file_service_operator.go
+++ b/internal/file/file_service_operator.go
@@ -308,16 +308,22 @@ func (fso *FileServiceOperator) UpdateFile(
 
 // renameFile, renames (moves) file from tempDir to new location to update file.
 func (fso *FileServiceOperator) RenameFile(
-	ctx context.Context, source, desination string,
+	ctx context.Context, source, destination string,
 ) error {
-	slog.InfoContext(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("Renaming file %s to %s", source, desination))
+	slog.InfoContext(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("Renaming file %s to %s", source, destination))
+
+	if info, err := os.Stat(destination); err == nil && !info.Mode().IsRegular() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot write to non-regular destination file %s (type: %s) - "+
+			"resolve file manually on the data plane",
+			destination, info.Mode().Type())
+	}
 
 	// Create parent directories for the target file if they don't exist
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(desination), dirPerm); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create directories for %s: %w", desination, err)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(destination), dirPerm); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create directories for %s: %w", destination, err)
 	}
 
-	moveErr := os.Rename(source, desination)
+	moveErr := os.Rename(source, destination)
 	if moveErr != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rename file: %w", moveErr)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/file/file_service_operator_test.go b/internal/file/file_service_operator_test.go
index e86cbb9ea..5e2601b4a 100644
--- a/internal/file/file_service_operator_test.go
+++ b/internal/file/file_service_operator_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -195,3 +196,40 @@ func TestFileManagerService_UpdateFile_LargeFile(t *testing.T) {
 
 	helpers.RemoveFileWithErrorCheck(t, testFile.Name())
 }
+
+func TestFileServiceOperator_RenameFile_success(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+	src := filepath.Join(tempDir, "source.conf")
+	dest := filepath.Join(tempDir, "dest.conf")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(src, []byte("nginx config"), 0o600)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	fso := NewFileServiceOperator(types.AgentConfig(), nil, &sync.RWMutex{})
+	err = fso.RenameFile(t.Context(), src, dest)
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.FileExists(t, dest)
+}
+
+func TestFileServiceOperator_RenameFile_destIsNonRegularFile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+	src := filepath.Join(tempDir, "source.conf")
+	dest := filepath.Join(tempDir, "dest.conf")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(src, []byte("nginx config"), 0o600)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = syscall.Mkfifo(dest, 0o644)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	fso := NewFileServiceOperator(types.AgentConfig(), nil, &sync.RWMutex{})
+	err = fso.RenameFile(t.Context(), src, dest)
+
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "non-regular")
+}
diff --git a/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service.go b/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service.go
index 4355c3d29..c2ed718ad 100644
--- a/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service.go
+++ b/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service.go
@@ -205,6 +205,17 @@ func (fws *FileWatcherService) handleEvent(ctx context.Context, event fsnotify.E
 			return
 		}
 
+		if event.Has(fsnotify.Create) || event.Has(fsnotify.Rename) {
+			if info, err := os.Stat(event.Name); err == nil && !info.Mode().IsRegular() {
+				slog.ErrorContext(ctx,
+					"Managed config file changed to un-supported type — "+
+						"config apply will fail until file is reverted to a supported type manually on the data plane",
+					"path", event.Name,
+					"type", info.Mode().Type(),
+				)
+			}
+		}
+
 		slog.DebugContext(ctx, "Processing FSNotify event", "event", event)
 		fws.filesChanged.Store(true)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service_test.go b/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service_test.go
index 5802018ec..d886d4141 100644
--- a/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service_test.go
+++ b/internal/watcher/file/file_watcher_service_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -320,3 +321,22 @@ func TestFileWatcherService_checkForUpdates(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected file update event")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestFileWatcherService_handleEvent_nonRegularFile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+	fifoPath := filepath.Join(tempDir, "hang.conf")
+
+	err := syscall.Mkfifo(fifoPath, 0o644)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	fws := NewFileWatcherService(types.AgentConfig())
+
+	fws.handleEvent(t.Context(), fsnotify.Event{
+		Name: fifoPath,
+		Op:   fsnotify.Create,
+	})
+
+	assert.True(t, fws.filesChanged.Load())
+}