diff --git a/pyiceberg/utils/config.py b/pyiceberg/utils/config.py
index ab9b549d25..2b5baafa59 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/utils/config.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/utils/config.py
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ def _load_yaml(directory: str | None) -> RecursiveDict | None:
                     with open(path, encoding=UTF8) as f:
                         yml_str = f.read()
                     file_config = strictyaml.load(yml_str).data
+                    if not isinstance(file_config, dict):
+                        # An empty or comment-only document parses as a string
+                        return None
                     file_config_lowercase = _lowercase_dictionary_keys(file_config)
                     return file_config_lowercase
             return None
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_config.py b/tests/utils/test_config.py
index 5cd6a7203a..309821023d 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_config.py
@@ -183,3 +183,20 @@ def create_config_file(path: str, uri: str | None) -> None:
     assert (
         result["catalog"]["default"]["uri"] if result else None  # type: ignore
     ) == expected_result, f"Unexpected configuration result. Expected: {expected_result}, Actual: {result}"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("content", ["", "\n", "# only a comment\n"])
+def test_from_configuration_files_without_a_mapping(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path_factory: pytest.TempPathFactory, content: str
+) -> None:
+    """A file that holds no mapping should be treated as absent."""
+    pyiceberg_home = str(tmp_path_factory.mktemp("pyiceberg_home"))
+    empty_dir = str(tmp_path_factory.mktemp("empty"))
+    with open(os.path.join(pyiceberg_home, ".pyiceberg.yaml"), "w", encoding=UTF8) as file:
+        file.write(content)
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("PYICEBERG_HOME", pyiceberg_home)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(os.path, "expanduser", lambda _: empty_dir)
+    monkeypatch.chdir(empty_dir)
+
+    assert Config()._from_configuration_files() is None