diff --git a/checks.d/postgres.py b/checks.d/postgres.py
index 6caa49757a..22082e662c 100644
--- a/checks.d/postgres.py
+++ b/checks.d/postgres.py
@@ -602,6 +602,11 @@ def get_connection(self, key, host, port, user, password, dbname, ssl, connect_f
                 elif port != '':
                     connection = connect_fct(host=host, port=port, user=user,
                         password=password, database=dbname, ssl=ssl)
+                elif host.startswith('/'):
+                    # If the hostname starts with /, it's probably a path
+                    # to a UNIX socket. This is similar behaviour to psql
+                    connection = pg.connect(unix_sock=host, user=user,
+                        password=password, database=dbname)
                 else:
                     connection = connect_fct(host=host, user=user, password=password,
                         database=dbname, ssl=ssl)
diff --git a/conf.d/postgres.yaml.example b/conf.d/postgres.yaml.example
index f21649cf1d..950a039770 100644
--- a/conf.d/postgres.yaml.example
+++ b/conf.d/postgres.yaml.example
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ instances:
 #      - optional_tag1
 #      - optional_tag2
 
+# Connect using a UNIX socket (host must begin with a /)
+#  - host: /run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5433
+#    dbname: db_name
+
 # Track per-relation (table) metrics
 # The list of relations/tables must be specified here.
 # Each relation generates many metrics (10 + 10 per index)