diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d9bbb4a8b..38e3b1511 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+1.7.4.dev0
+ * #596: Fix special file detection when broken symlinks are encountered.
+
 1.7.3
  * #357: Add "break-lock" action for removing any repository and cache locks leftover from Borg
    aborting.
diff --git a/borgmatic/borg/create.py b/borgmatic/borg/create.py
index 13f794264..efe092fba 100644
--- a/borgmatic/borg/create.py
+++ b/borgmatic/borg/create.py
@@ -229,7 +229,11 @@ def special_file(path):
     Return whether the given path is a special file (character device, block device, or named pipe
     / FIFO).
     '''
-    mode = os.stat(path).st_mode
+    try:
+        mode = os.stat(path).st_mode
+    except (FileNotFoundError, OSError):
+        return False
+
     return stat.S_ISCHR(mode) or stat.S_ISBLK(mode) or stat.S_ISFIFO(mode)
 
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c45c2ad03..4f496245e 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from setuptools import find_packages, setup
 
-VERSION = '1.7.3'
+VERSION = '1.7.4.dev0'
 
 
 setup(
diff --git a/tests/unit/borg/test_create.py b/tests/unit/borg/test_create.py
index c12011399..4dd390bb1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/borg/test_create.py
+++ b/tests/unit/borg/test_create.py
@@ -338,6 +338,12 @@ def test_special_file_looks_at_file_type(character_device, block_device, fifo, e
     assert module.special_file('/dev/special') == expected_result
 
 
+def test_special_file_treats_broken_symlink_as_non_special():
+    flexmock(module.os).should_receive('stat').and_raise(FileNotFoundError)
+
+    assert module.special_file('/broken/symlink') is False
+
+
 def test_any_parent_directories_treats_parents_as_match():
     module.any_parent_directories('/foo/bar.txt', ('/foo', '/etc'))