diff --git a/src/basic/path-util.c b/src/basic/path-util.c
index 5c1e954cbd2..a08fd7fcadc 100644
--- a/src/basic/path-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/path-util.c
@@ -1252,9 +1252,16 @@ bool hidden_or_backup_file(const char *filename) {
 bool is_device_path(const char *path) {
 
         /* Returns true for paths that likely refer to a device, either by path in sysfs or to something in
-         * /dev. */
+         * /dev. This accepts any path that starts with /dev/ or /sys/ and has something after that prefix.
+         * It does not actually resolve the path.
+         *
+         * Examples:
+         * /dev/sda, /dev/sda/foo, /sys/class, /dev/.., /sys/.., /./dev/foo → yes.
+         * /../dev/sda, /dev, /sys, /usr/path, /usr/../dev/sda → no.
+         */
 
-        return PATH_STARTSWITH_SET(path, "/dev/", "/sys/");
+        const char *p = PATH_STARTSWITH_SET(ASSERT_PTR(path), "/dev/", "/sys/");
+        return !isempty(p);
 }
 
 bool valid_device_node_path(const char *path) {
diff --git a/src/test/test-path-util.c b/src/test/test-path-util.c
index 6346b0fa83c..142abb42dfe 100644
--- a/src/test/test-path-util.c
+++ b/src/test/test-path-util.c
@@ -104,18 +104,18 @@ TEST(is_device_path) {
         assert_se(!is_device_path(""));
         assert_se(!is_device_path(".."));
 
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/dev"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/./dev"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/./dev/."));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/dev"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/./dev"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/./dev/."));
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/./dev."));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/./dev/foo"));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/./dev/./foo"));
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/./dev./foo"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("//dev"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("///dev"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/dev/"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("///dev/"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/./dev/"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("//dev"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("///dev"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/dev/"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("///dev/"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/./dev/"));
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/../dev/"));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/dev/sda"));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/dev/sda5"));
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ TEST(is_device_path) {
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/../../dev/sda5"));
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/../../../dev/sda5b3"));
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/.././.././dev/sda5b3/idontexit"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/sys"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/sys/"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/./sys"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/./sys/."));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/sys"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/sys/"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/./sys"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/./sys/."));
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/./sys."));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/./sys/foo"));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/./sys/./foo"));
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ TEST(is_device_path) {
         assert_se( is_device_path("/sys/what"));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/sys/something/.."));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/sys/something/../"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/sys////"));
-        assert_se( is_device_path("/sys////."));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/sys////"));
+        assert_se(!is_device_path("/sys////."));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/sys/.."));
         assert_se( is_device_path("/sys/../"));
         assert_se(!is_device_path("/usr/../dev/sda"));