diff --git a/bin/rdebug-ide b/bin/rdebug-ide
index 618e291..fce28c9 100755
--- a/bin/rdebug-ide
+++ b/bin/rdebug-ide
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ options = OpenStruct.new(
     'value_as_nested_element' => false,
     'attach_mode' => false,
     'cli_debug' => false,
-    'key_value_mode' => false
+    'key_value_mode' => false,
+    'socket_path' => nil
 )
 
 opts = OptionParser.new do |opts|
@@ -100,6 +101,9 @@ EOB
   opts.on("--value-as-nested-element", "Allow to pass variable's value as nested element instead of attribute") do
     options.value_as_nested_element = true
   end
+  opts.on("--socket-path PATH", "Listen for debugger on the given UNIX domain socket path") do |path|
+    options.socket_path = path
+  end
   opts.separator ""
   opts.separator "Common options:"
   opts.on_tail("-v", "--version", "Show version") do
diff --git a/lib/ruby-debug-ide.rb b/lib/ruby-debug-ide.rb
index 97644df..bc61c90 100644
--- a/lib/ruby-debug-ide.rb
+++ b/lib/ruby-debug-ide.rb
@@ -74,16 +74,22 @@ def interrupt_last
     end
 
     def start_server(host = nil, port = 1234, notify_dispatcher = false)
-      return if started?
-      start
-      start_control(host, port, notify_dispatcher)
+      _start_server_common(host, port, nil, notify_dispatcher)
+    end
+
+    def start_server_unix(socket_path, notify_dispatcher = false)
+      _start_server_common(nil, 0, socket_path, notify_dispatcher)
     end
 
     def prepare_debugger(options)
       @mutex = Mutex.new
       @proceed = ConditionVariable.new
 
-      start_server(options.host, options.port, options.notify_dispatcher)
+      if options.socket_path.nil?
+        start_server(options.host, options.port, options.notify_dispatcher)
+      else
+        start_server_unix(options.socket_path, options.notify_dispatcher)
+      end
 
       raise "Control thread did not start (#{@control_thread}}" unless @control_thread && @control_thread.alive?
 
@@ -112,24 +118,53 @@ def run_prog_script
     end
 
     def start_control(host, port, notify_dispatcher)
+      _start_control_common(host, port, nil, notify_dispatcher)
+    end
+
+    def start_control_unix(socket_path, notify_dispatcher)
+      _start_control_common(nil, 0, socket_path, notify_dispatcher)
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def _start_server_common(host, port, socket_path, notify_dispatcher)
+      return if started?
+      start
+      _start_control_common(host, port, socket_path, notify_dispatcher)
+    end
+
+    def _start_control_common(host, port, socket_path, notify_dispatcher)
       raise "Debugger is not started" unless started?
       return if @control_thread
       @control_thread = DebugThread.new do
         begin
-          # 127.0.0.1 seemingly works with all systems and with IPv6 as well.
-          # "localhost" and nil have problems on some systems.
-          host ||= '127.0.0.1'
-
-          server = notify_dispatcher_if_needed(host, port, notify_dispatcher) do |real_port, port_changed|
-            s = TCPServer.new(host, real_port)
-            print_greeting_msg $stderr, host, real_port, port_changed ? "Subprocess" : "Fast" if defined? IDE_VERSION
-            s
+          if socket_path.nil?
+            # 127.0.0.1 seemingly works with all systems and with IPv6 as well.
+            # "localhost" and nil have problems on some systems.
+            host ||= '127.0.0.1'
+
+            server = notify_dispatcher_if_needed(host, port, notify_dispatcher) do |real_port, port_changed|
+              s = TCPServer.new(host, real_port)
+              print_greeting_msg $stderr, host, real_port, port_changed ? "Subprocess" : "Fast" if defined? IDE_VERSION
+              s
+            end
+          else
+            raise "Cannot specify host and socket_file at the same time" if host
+            File.delete(socket_path) if File.exist?(socket_path)
+            server = UNIXServer.new(socket_path)
+            print_greeting_msg $stderr, nil, nil, "Fast", socket_path if defined? IDE_VERSION
           end
 
           return unless server
 
           while (session = server.accept)
-            $stderr.puts "Connected from #{session.peeraddr[2]}" if Debugger.cli_debug
+            if Debugger.cli_debug
+              if session.peeraddr == 'AF_INET'
+                $stderr.puts "Connected from #{session.peeraddr[2]}"
+              else
+                $stderr.puts "Connected from local client"
+              end
+            end
             dispatcher = ENV['IDE_PROCESS_DISPATCHER']
             if dispatcher
               ENV['IDE_PROCESS_DISPATCHER'] = "#{session.peeraddr[2]}:#{dispatcher}" unless dispatcher.include?(":")
@@ -153,8 +188,6 @@ def start_control(host, port, notify_dispatcher)
       end
     end
 
-    private
-
     def notify_dispatcher_if_needed(host, port, need_notify)
       return yield port unless need_notify
 
diff --git a/lib/ruby-debug-ide/greeter.rb b/lib/ruby-debug-ide/greeter.rb
index 7e3dd93..f47bde3 100644
--- a/lib/ruby-debug-ide/greeter.rb
+++ b/lib/ruby-debug-ide/greeter.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 module Debugger
 
   class << self
-    def print_greeting_msg(stream, host, port, debugger_name = "Fast")
+    def print_greeting_msg(stream, host, port, debugger_name = "Fast", socket_path = nil)
       base_gem_name = if defined?(JRUBY_VERSION) || RUBY_VERSION < '1.9.0'
                         'ruby-debug-base'
                       elsif RUBY_VERSION < '2.0.0'
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ def print_greeting_msg(stream, host, port, debugger_name = "Fast")
 
       if host && port
         listens_on = " listens on #{host}:#{port}\n"
+      elsif socket_path
+        listens_on = " listens on #{socket_path}\n"
       else
         listens_on = "\n"
       end
@@ -37,4 +39,4 @@ def print_greeting_msg(stream, host, port, debugger_name = "Fast")
     end
   end
 
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/test-base/catchpoint_test.rb b/test-base/catchpoint_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8b18a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-base/catchpoint_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env ruby
+
+$:.unshift File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "..", "lib")
+
+require 'test_base'
+
+module CatchpointTest
+
+  def test_catchpoint_basics
+    create_socket ['sleep 0.01', '5/0', 'sleep 0.01']
+    run_to_line(1)
+    send_next
+    assert_suspension(@test_path, 2, 1)
+    send_ruby('catch ZeroDivisionError')
+    assert_catchpoint_set('ZeroDivisionError')
+    send_next
+    assert_exception(@test_path, 2, 'ZeroDivisionError')
+    send_next
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/test-base/enable_disable_test.rb b/test-base/enable_disable_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a6239d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-base/enable_disable_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env ruby
+
+$:.unshift File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "..", "lib")
+
+require 'test_base'
+
+module EnableDisableTest
+
+  def test_enable_disable_basics
+    create_socket ['1.upto(10) do', 'sleep 0.01', 'sleep 0.01', 'end']
+
+    send_test_breakpoint(2)
+    assert_breakpoint_added_no(1)
+    send_test_breakpoint(3)
+    assert_breakpoint_added_no(2)
+
+    start_debugger
+    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
+    send_cont
+    assert_test_breakpoint(3)
+    send_cont
+    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
+    send_ruby('disable 2')
+    assert_breakpoint_disabled(2)
+    send_cont
+    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
+    send_cont
+    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
+    send_ruby('enable 2')
+    assert_breakpoint_enabled(2)
+    send_cont
+    assert_test_breakpoint(3)
+    send_cont
+    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
+    send_cont
+    assert_test_breakpoint(3)
+    send_ruby('disable 1')
+    assert_breakpoint_disabled(1)
+    send_ruby('disable 2')
+    assert_breakpoint_disabled(2)
+    send_cont
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/test-base/test_base.rb b/test-base/test_base.rb
index c026750..a9719b4 100644
--- a/test-base/test_base.rb
+++ b/test-base/test_base.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 require 'socket'
 require 'readers'
 require 'test/unit'
+require 'thread'
 require 'tmpdir'
 require 'open3'
 require 'yaml'
@@ -24,6 +25,14 @@ def initialize(name)
     @port = nil
     @parser = nil
     @fast_fail = nil
+    @socket_path = nil
+  end
+
+  module UseUNIXDomainSocket
+    def setup
+      super
+      @use_unix_socket = true
+    end
   end
 
   def setup
@@ -36,6 +45,9 @@ def setup
 
     # XXX: tmpdir unique to test, probably parse out from self.name
     FileUtils.mkdir_p(TMP_DIR)
+
+    @use_unix_socket = false
+    @socket_path = nil
   end
   
   # Loads key from the _config_._yaml_ file.
@@ -83,8 +95,12 @@ def debug_jruby?
   end
 
   def start_ruby_process(script, additional_opts = '')
-    @port = TestBase.find_free_port
-    cmd = debug_command(script, @port, additional_opts)
+    if !@use_unix_socket
+      @port = TestBase.find_free_port
+    else
+      @socket_path = TestBase.next_socket_path
+    end
+    cmd = debug_command(script, @port, @socket_path, additional_opts)
     debug "Starting: #{cmd}\n"
 
     Thread.new do
@@ -131,6 +147,17 @@ def TestBase.find_free_port(port = 1098)
     end
   end
 
+  @@socket_path_seq_mutex = Mutex.new
+  @@socket_path_sequence_num = 0
+  def self.next_socket_path
+    seq_num = @@socket_path_seq_mutex.synchronize do
+      i = @@socket_path_sequence_num
+      @@socket_path_sequence_num += 1
+      i
+    end
+    File.join(TMP_DIR, "d#{seq_num}.sock")
+  end
+
   def create_file(script_name, lines)
     file = File.join(TMP_DIR, script_name)
     script_path = RUBY_VERSION >= "1.9" ? File.realdirpath(file) : file.to_s
@@ -161,11 +188,18 @@ def socket
       debug "Trying to connect to the debugger..."
       (config_load('server_start_up_timeout')*4).downto(1) do |i|
         begin
-          @socket = TCPSocket.new("127.0.0.1", @port)
+          if @socket_path
+            @socket = UNIXSocket.new(@socket_path)
+          else
+            @socket = TCPSocket.new("127.0.0.1", @port)
+          end
           break
         rescue Errno::ECONNREFUSED
           debug '.'
           sleep 0.5
+        rescue Errno::ENOENT
+          debug '.'
+          sleep 0.5
         end
       end
       debug "\n"
diff --git a/test/rd_basic_test.rb b/test/rd_basic_test.rb
index 5bafdcc..83b684a 100644
--- a/test/rd_basic_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_basic_test.rb
@@ -7,4 +7,9 @@ class RDSteppingAndBreakpointsTest < RDTestBase
 
   include BasicTest
 
+end
+
+class RDUNIXSteppingAndBreakpointsTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include BasicTest
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/rd_catchpoint_test.rb b/test/rd_catchpoint_test.rb
index 1eea686..c55d2a3 100644
--- a/test/rd_catchpoint_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_catchpoint_test.rb
@@ -1,20 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
 require 'rd_test_base'
+require 'catchpoint_test'
 
 class RDCatchpointTest < RDTestBase
 
-  def test_catchpoint_basics
-    create_socket ['sleep 0.01', '5/0', 'sleep 0.01']
-    run_to_line(1)
-    send_next
-    assert_suspension(@test_path, 2, 1)
-    send_ruby('catch ZeroDivisionError')
-    assert_catchpoint_set('ZeroDivisionError')
-    send_next
-    assert_exception(@test_path, 2, 'ZeroDivisionError')
-    send_next
-  end
-  
+  include CatchpointTest
+
 end
 
+class RDUNIXCatchpointTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include CatchpointTest
+end
diff --git a/test/rd_condition_test.rb b/test/rd_condition_test.rb
index 6fa2c4f..aec1f40 100644
--- a/test/rd_condition_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_condition_test.rb
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ class RDConditionTest < RDTestBase
 
 end
 
+class RDUNIXConditionTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include ConditionTest
+end
diff --git a/test/rd_enable_disable_test.rb b/test/rd_enable_disable_test.rb
index e7d9364..8a82960 100644
--- a/test/rd_enable_disable_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_enable_disable_test.rb
@@ -1,43 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
 require 'rd_test_base'
+require 'enable_disable_test'
 
 class RDEnableDisableTest < RDTestBase
 
-  def test_enable_disable_basics
-    create_socket ['1.upto(10) do', 'sleep 0.01', 'sleep 0.01', 'end']
-    
-    send_test_breakpoint(2)
-    assert_breakpoint_added_no(1)
-    send_test_breakpoint(3)
-    assert_breakpoint_added_no(2)
-    
-    start_debugger
-    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
-    send_cont
-    assert_test_breakpoint(3)
-    send_cont
-    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
-    send_ruby('disable 2')
-    assert_breakpoint_disabled(2)
-    send_cont
-    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
-    send_cont
-    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
-    send_ruby('enable 2')
-    assert_breakpoint_enabled(2)
-    send_cont
-    assert_test_breakpoint(3)
-    send_cont
-    assert_test_breakpoint(2)
-    send_cont
-    assert_test_breakpoint(3)
-    send_ruby('disable 1')
-    assert_breakpoint_disabled(1)
-    send_ruby('disable 2')
-    assert_breakpoint_disabled(2)
-    send_cont
-  end
+  include EnableDisableTest
 
 end
 
+class RDUNIXEnableDisableTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include EnableDisableTest
+end
diff --git a/test/rd_expression_info_test.rb b/test/rd_expression_info_test.rb
index b5d823d..4ed7071 100644
--- a/test/rd_expression_info_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_expression_info_test.rb
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ class RDExpressionInfoTest < RDTestBase
 
 end
 
+class RDUNIXExpressionInfoTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include ExpressionInfoTest
+end
diff --git a/test/rd_inspect_test.rb b/test/rd_inspect_test.rb
index 90f99c9..5cd71e2 100644
--- a/test/rd_inspect_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_inspect_test.rb
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ class RDInspectTest < RDTestBase
 
 end
 
+class RDUNIXInspectTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include InspectTest
+end
diff --git a/test/rd_stepping_breakpoints_test.rb b/test/rd_stepping_breakpoints_test.rb
index 88e7aa1..7ca885c 100644
--- a/test/rd_stepping_breakpoints_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_stepping_breakpoints_test.rb
@@ -34,3 +34,7 @@ def test_breakpoint_and_continue_from_other_file
 
 end
 
+class RDUNIXSteppingAndBreakpointsTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include SteppingAndBreakpointsTest
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/rd_test_base.rb b/test/rd_test_base.rb
index d5b7e4f..d5bc369 100644
--- a/test/rd_test_base.rb
+++ b/test/rd_test_base.rb
@@ -18,13 +18,20 @@ def setup
     end
   end
 
-  def debug_command(script, port, additional_opts='')
+  def debug_command(script, port, socket_path, additional_opts='')
+    location_arg = if !port.nil?
+                     "-p #{port}"
+                   elsif !socket_path.nil?
+                     "--socket-path #{socket_path}"
+                   else
+                     raise StandardError, "One of port and socket_path must be set"
+                   end
     cmd = "#{interpreter}"
     cmd << " --debug" if jruby?
     cmd << " -J-Xdebug -J-Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,address=8000,server=y,suspend=y" if jruby? and debug_jruby?
     cmd << " -I 'lib:#{File.dirname(script)}' #{@rdebug_ide}" +
       (@verbose_server ? " -d" : "") +
-        " -p #{port} #{additional_opts} -- '#{script}'"
+        " #{location_arg} #{additional_opts} -- '#{script}'"
   end
 
   def start_debugger
diff --git a/test/rd_threads_and_frames_test.rb b/test/rd_threads_and_frames_test.rb
index 89a957b..616266b 100644
--- a/test/rd_threads_and_frames_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_threads_and_frames_test.rb
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ class RDThreadsAndFrames < RDTestBase
 
 end
 
+class RDUNIXThreadsAndFrames < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include ThreadsAndFrames
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/rd_variables_test.rb b/test/rd_variables_test.rb
index 403640c..0f866b4 100644
--- a/test/rd_variables_test.rb
+++ b/test/rd_variables_test.rb
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ class RDVariablesTest < RDTestBase
 
 end
 
+class RDUNIXVariablesTest < RDTestBase
+  include TestBase::UseUNIXDomainSocket
+  include VariablesTest
+end