diff --git a/dissect/target/helpers/configutil.py b/dissect/target/helpers/configutil.py
index 8be76beda..bb808c656 100644
--- a/dissect/target/helpers/configutil.py
+++ b/dissect/target/helpers/configutil.py
@@ -748,13 +748,13 @@ def parse(path: Union[FilesystemEntry, TargetPath], hint: Optional[str] = None,
         FileNotFoundError: If the ``path`` is not a file.
     """
 
-    if not path.is_file(follow_symlinks=True):
-        raise FileNotFoundError(f"Could not parse {path} as a dictionary.")
-
     entry = path
     if isinstance(path, TargetPath):
         entry = path.get()
 
+    if not entry.is_file(follow_symlinks=True):
+        raise FileNotFoundError(f"Could not parse {path} as a dictionary.")
+
     options = ParserOptions(*args, **kwargs)
 
     return parse_config(entry, hint, options)
diff --git a/tests/helpers/test_configutil.py b/tests/helpers/test_configutil.py
index b97cfe95b..49fe54d4e 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/test_configutil.py
+++ b/tests/helpers/test_configutil.py
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import textwrap
 from io import StringIO
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Union
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Union
 
 import pytest
 
+from dissect.target.exceptions import FileNotFoundError
 from dissect.target.helpers.configutil import (
     ConfigurationParser,
     Default,
@@ -12,9 +15,14 @@
     Json,
     ScopeManager,
     SystemD,
+    parse,
 )
 from tests._utils import absolute_path
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from dissect.target import Target
+    from dissect.target.filesystem import VirtualFilesystem
+
 
 def parse_data(parser_type: type[ConfigurationParser], data_to_read: str, *args, **kwargs) -> dict:
     """Initializes parser_type as a parser which parses ``data_to_read``"""
@@ -258,3 +266,21 @@ def test_json_syntax(data_string: str, expected_data: Union[dict, list]) -> None
     parser.parse_file(StringIO(data_string))
 
     assert parser.parsed_data == expected_data
+
+
+def test_parse(target_linux: Target, fs_linux: VirtualFilesystem, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    # File does not exist on the system in the first place
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+        parse(target_linux.fs.path("/path/to/file"))
+
+    file_path = tmp_path.joinpath("path/to/file")
+    file_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+    file_path.touch()
+
+    fs_linux.map_dir("/", tmp_path.absolute())
+
+    # Trying to read a directory
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+        parse(target_linux.fs.path("/path/to"))
+
+    parse(target_linux.fs.path("/path/to/file"))