diff --git a/src/redis.js b/src/redis.js
index 5413f58651..91bd583f85 100644
--- a/src/redis.js
+++ b/src/redis.js
@@ -4,7 +4,15 @@
 		winston = require('winston'),
 		nconf = require('nconf');
 
-	RedisDB.exports = redis.createClient(nconf.get('redis:port'), nconf.get('redis:host'));
+	var redis_socket_or_host = nconf.get('redis:host')
+	if(redis_socket_or_host.indexOf('/')>=0) {
+		/* If redis.host contains a path name character, use the unix dom sock connection. ie, /tmp/redis.sock */
+		RedisDB.exports = redis.createClient(nconf.get('redis:host'))
+	}
+	else {
+		/* Else, connect over tcp/ip */
+		RedisDB.exports = redis.createClient(nconf.get('redis:port'), nconf.get('redis:host'));
+	}
 
 	if (nconf.get('redis:password')) {
 		RedisDB.exports.auth(nconf.get('redis:password'));
@@ -55,4 +63,4 @@
 
 
 
-}(module));
\ No newline at end of file
+}(module));