diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 6ad6230e..4d3e3ca9 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "server.h"
 
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
@@ -231,11 +232,29 @@ try_connect(const char *sock_path)
         goto err;
     }
 
+    /* Use non-blocking, so that we don't get stuck in connect()
+     * waiting for a timeout */
+    int flags;
+    if ((flags = fcntl(fd, F_GETFL)) < 0 ||
+        fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, flags | O_NONBLOCK))
+    {
+        LOG_ERRNO("failed to set O_NONBLOCK");
+        goto err;
+    }
+
     struct sockaddr_un addr = {.sun_family = AF_UNIX};
     strncpy(addr.sun_path, sock_path, sizeof(addr.sun_path) - 1);
 
-    ret = connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0
-        ? CONNECT_FAIL : CONNECT_SUCCESS;
+    switch (connect(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr))) {
+    case 0:
+        ret = CONNECT_SUCCESS;
+        break;
+
+    case -1:
+        LOG_DBG("connect() failed: %s", strerror(errno));
+        ret = CONNECT_FAIL;
+        break;
+    }
 
 err:
     if (fd != -1)
@@ -289,13 +308,13 @@ server_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl)
         LOG_ERRNO("%s: failed to listen", addr.sun_path);
         goto err;
     }
-    
+
     server = malloc(sizeof(*server));
     *server = (struct server) {
         .conf = conf,
         .fdm = fdm,
         .wayl = wayl,
-        
+
         .fd = fd,
         .sock_path = sock_path,