diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index c818c185..ecb850f6 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -29,27 +29,32 @@ static void
 print_usage(const char *prog_name)
 {
     printf("Usage: %s [OPTIONS]...\n", prog_name);
+    printf("Usage: %s [OPTIONS]... -- command\n", prog_name);
     printf("\n");
     printf("Options:\n");
     printf("  -t,--term=TERM              value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)\n"
+           "  -s,--server-socket=PATH     path to the server UNIX domain socket (default=XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/foot.sock)\n"
            "  -v,--version                show the version number and quit\n");
 }
 
 int
 main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 {
+    log_init(LOG_FACILITY_USER);
     int ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
 
     const char *const prog_name = argv[0];
 
     static const struct option longopts[] =  {
-        {"term",     required_argument, 0, 't'},
-        {"version",  no_argument,       0, 'v'},
-        {"help",     no_argument,       0, 'h'},
-        {NULL,       no_argument,       0,   0},
+        {"term",          required_argument, 0, 't'},
+        {"server-socket", required_argument, 0, 's'},
+        {"version",       no_argument,       0, 'v'},
+        {"help",          no_argument,       0, 'h'},
+        {NULL,            no_argument,       0,   0},
     };
 
     const char *term = "";
+    const char *server_socket_path = NULL;
 
     while (true) {
         int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, ":t:hv", longopts, NULL);
@@ -59,6 +64,9 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
         switch (c) {
         case 't':
             term = optarg;
+
+        case 's':
+            server_socket_path = optarg;
             break;
 
         case 'v':
@@ -88,23 +96,34 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
         goto err;
     }
 
-    bool connected = false;
     struct sockaddr_un addr = {.sun_family = AF_UNIX};
 
-    const char *xdg_runtime = getenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
-    if (xdg_runtime != NULL) {
-        snprintf(addr.sun_path, sizeof(addr.sun_path), "%s/foot.sock", xdg_runtime);
-
-        if (connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr)) == 0)
-            connected = true;
-    }
-
-    if (!connected) {
-        strncpy(addr.sun_path, "/tmp/foot.sock", sizeof(addr.sun_path) - 1);
+    if (server_socket_path != NULL) {
+        strncpy(addr.sun_path, server_socket_path, sizeof(addr.sun_path));
         if (connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0) {
-            LOG_ERRNO("failed to connect (is 'foot --server' running?)");
+            LOG_ERR("%s: failed to connect (is 'foot --server' running?)", server_socket_path);
             goto err;
         }
+    } else {
+        bool connected = false;
+
+        const char *xdg_runtime = getenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
+        if (xdg_runtime != NULL) {
+            snprintf(addr.sun_path, sizeof(addr.sun_path), "%s/foot.sock", xdg_runtime);
+
+            if (connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr)) == 0)
+                connected = true;
+            else
+                LOG_WARN("%s/foot.sock: failed to connect, will now try /tmp/foot.sock", xdg_runtime);
+        }
+
+        if (!connected) {
+            strncpy(addr.sun_path, "/tmp/foot.sock", sizeof(addr.sun_path) - 1);
+            if (connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0) {
+                LOG_ERRNO("failed to connect (is 'foot --server' running?)");
+                goto err;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     const uint16_t term_len = strlen(term) + 1;
@@ -172,5 +191,6 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 err:
     if (fd != -1)
         close(fd);
+    log_deinit();
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/completions/zsh/_foot b/completions/zsh/_foot
index cbb1237c..220f6ec6 100644
--- a/completions/zsh/_foot
+++ b/completions/zsh/_foot
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 _arguments \
     -s \
     '(-f --font)'{-f,--font}'[font name and style in fontconfig format (monospace)]:font:->fonts' \
-    '(-t,--term)'{-t,--term}'[value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)]:term:->terms' \
+    '(-t --term)'{-t,--term}'[value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)]:term:->terms' \
     '(-g --geometry)'{-g,--geometry}'[window WIDTHxHEIGHT, in pixels (84x24 cells)]' \
-    '(-s --server)'{-s,--server}'[run as server; open terminals by running footclient]' \
+    '(-s --server)'{-s,--server}'[run as server; open terminals by running footclient]:server:_files' \
     '(-v --version)'{-v,--version}'[show the version number and quit]' \
     '(-h --help)'{-h,--help}'[show help message and quit]'
 
diff --git a/completions/zsh/_footclient b/completions/zsh/_footclient
index 47a050cb..93b8c01e 100644
--- a/completions/zsh/_footclient
+++ b/completions/zsh/_footclient
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 
 _arguments \
     -s \
-    '(-t,--term)'{-t,--term}'[value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)]:term:->terms' \
+    '(-t --term)'{-t,--term}'[value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)]:term:->terms' \
+    '(-s --server-socket)'{-s,--server-socket}'[override the default path to the foot server socket (XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/foot.sock)]' \
     '(-v --version)'{-v,--version}'[show the version number and quit]' \
     '(-h --help)'{-h,--help}'[show help message and quit]'
 
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 6f2d0bf8..55e82b46 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -450,6 +450,18 @@ err:
     return false;
 }
 
+static char *
+get_server_socket_path(void)
+{
+    const char *xdg_runtime = getenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
+    if (xdg_runtime == NULL)
+        return strdup("/tmp/foot.sock");
+
+    char *path = malloc(strlen(xdg_runtime) + 1 + strlen("foot.sock") + 1);
+    sprintf(path, "%s/foot.sock", xdg_runtime);
+    return path;
+}
+
 bool
 config_load(struct config *conf)
 {
@@ -498,6 +510,7 @@ config_load(struct config *conf)
         },
 
         .render_worker_count = sysconf(_SC_NPROCESSORS_ONLN),
+        .server_socket_path = get_server_socket_path(),
     };
 
     char *path = get_config_path();
@@ -531,4 +544,5 @@ config_free(struct config conf)
     free(conf.term);
     free(conf.shell);
     tll_free_and_free(conf.fonts, free);
+    free(conf.server_socket_path);
 }
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 0db130ad..4e7086d7 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ struct config {
     } cursor;
 
     size_t render_worker_count;
+
+    char *server_socket_path;
 };
 
 bool config_load(struct config *conf);
diff --git a/doc/foot.1.scd b/doc/foot.1.scd
index 5d52cb1c..1bf180d0 100644
--- a/doc/foot.1.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.1.scd
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ execute (instead of the shell).
 *-t*,*--term*=_TERM_
 	Value to set the environment variable _TERM_ to. Default: _foot_.
 
-*-s*,*--server*
+*-s*,*--server*[=_PATH_]
 	Run as a server. In this mode, a single foot instance hosts
 	multiple terminals (windows). Use *footclient*(1) to launch new
 	terminals.
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ execute (instead of the shell).
 	loaded and parsed, and most importantly, fonts have already been
 	loaded (and their glyph caches are likely to already have been
 	populated).
-
+	
 	Each terminal will have its own rendering threads, but all Wayland
 	communication, as well as input/output to the shell, is
 	multiplexed in the main thread. Thus, this mode might result in
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ execute (instead of the shell).
 	
 	Also be aware that should one terminal crash, it will take all the
 	others with it.
+	
+	You may optionally override the default socket path,
+	_XDG\_RUNTIME\_DIR/foot.sock_. If you do so, you will need to use
+	the *--server-socket* option in *footclient*(1).
 
 *-v*,*--version*
 	Show the version number and quit
diff --git a/doc/footclient.1.scd b/doc/footclient.1.scd
index 40ead1cd..78397544 100644
--- a/doc/footclient.1.scd
+++ b/doc/footclient.1.scd
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ execute (instead of the shell).
 *-t*,*--term*=_TERM_
 	Value to set the environment variable _TERM_ to. Default: _foot_.
 
+*-s*,*--server-socket*=_PATH_
+	Connect to _PATH_ instead of _XDG\_RUNTIME\_DIR/foot.sock_.
+
 *-v*,*--version*
 	Show the version number and quit
 
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index ed426d4b..938aa992 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -38,12 +38,14 @@ static void
 print_usage(const char *prog_name)
 {
     printf("Usage: %s [OPTIONS]...\n", prog_name);
+    printf("Usage: %s [OPTIONS]... -- command\n", prog_name);
     printf("\n");
     printf("Options:\n");
     printf("  -f,--font=FONT              comma separated list of fonts in fontconfig format (monospace)\n"
            "  -t,--term=TERM              value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)\n"
            "  -g,--geometry=WIDTHxHEIGHT  set initial width and height\n"
-           "  -s,--server                 run as a server (use 'footclient' to start terminals)\n"
+           "  -s,--server[=PATH]          run as a server (use 'footclient' to start terminals).\n"
+           "                              Without PATH, XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/foot.sock will be used.\n"
            "  -v,--version                show the version number and quit\n");
 }
 
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
         {"term",     required_argument, 0, 't'},
         {"font",     required_argument, 0, 'f'},
         {"geometry", required_argument, 0, 'g'},
-        {"server",   no_argument,       0, 's'},
+        {"server",   optional_argument, 0, 's'},
         {"version",  no_argument,       0, 'v'},
         {"help",     no_argument,       0, 'h'},
         {NULL,       no_argument,       0,   0},
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
     bool as_server = false;
 
     while (true) {
-        int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, ":t:f:g:vh", longopts, NULL);
+        int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, ":t:f:g:s::vh", longopts, NULL);
         if (c == -1)
             break;
 
@@ -135,6 +137,10 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 
         case 's':
             as_server = true;
+            if (optarg != NULL) {
+                free(conf.server_socket_path);
+                conf.server_socket_path = strdup(optarg);
+            }
             break;
 
         case 'v':
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index ae3f22b4..143af512 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ struct server {
     struct wayland *wayl;
 
     int fd;
-    char *sock_path;
+    const char *sock_path;
 
     tll(struct client *) clients;
 };
@@ -273,18 +273,6 @@ fdm_server(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
     return true;
 }
 
-static char *
-get_socket_path(void)
-{
-    const char *xdg_runtime = getenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
-    if (xdg_runtime == NULL)
-        return strdup("/tmp/foot.sock");
-
-    char *path = malloc(strlen(xdg_runtime) + 1 + strlen("foot.sock") + 1);
-    sprintf(path, "%s/foot.sock", xdg_runtime);
-    return path;
-}
-
 enum connect_status {CONNECT_ERR, CONNECT_FAIL, CONNECT_SUCCESS};
 
 static enum connect_status
@@ -328,10 +316,7 @@ server_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl)
     }
 
     struct server *server = NULL;
-    char *sock_path = NULL;
-
-    if ((sock_path = get_socket_path()) == NULL)
-        goto err;
+    const char *sock_path = conf->server_socket_path;
 
     switch (try_connect(sock_path)) {
     case CONNECT_FAIL:
@@ -381,7 +366,6 @@ server_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl)
 
 err:
     free(server);
-    free(sock_path);
     if (fd != -1)
         close(fd);
     return NULL;
@@ -406,6 +390,5 @@ server_destroy(struct server *server)
     fdm_del(server->fdm, server->fd);
     if (server->sock_path != NULL)
         unlink(server->sock_path);
-    free(server->sock_path);
     free(server);
 }