diff --git a/checks.d/postgres.py b/checks.d/postgres.py
index 8193c6ade1..db1ec1510c 100644
--- a/checks.d/postgres.py
+++ b/checks.d/postgres.py
@@ -584,6 +584,11 @@ def get_connection(self, key, host, port, user, password, dbname, ssl, use_cache
                 elif port != '':
                     connection = pg.connect(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 = pg.connect(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 b250e9b932..74cde77c1c 100644
--- a/conf.d/postgres.yaml.example
+++ b/conf.d/postgres.yaml.example
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ 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)
@@ -56,4 +60,4 @@ instances:
 #    Collect count metrics, default value is True for backward compatibility but they migth be slow,
 #    suggested value is False.
 #    collect_count_metrics: False
-#
\ No newline at end of file
+#