diff --git a/conventional.yaml b/conventional.yaml
index d39b3195..bf587af7 100644
--- a/conventional.yaml
+++ b/conventional.yaml
@@ -663,8 +663,9 @@ datastore:
     mysql:
         enabled: false
         host: "localhost"
-        # port is unnecessary for connections via unix domain socket:
-        #port: 3306
+        port: 3306
+        # if socket-path is set, it will be used instead of host:port
+        #socket-path: "/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock"
         user: "oragono"
         password: "hunter2"
         history-database: "oragono_history"
diff --git a/irc/mysql/config.go b/irc/mysql/config.go
index c4a19ae5..2c4ff54c 100644
--- a/irc/mysql/config.go
+++ b/irc/mysql/config.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Enabled         bool
 	Host            string
 	Port            int
+	SocketPath      string `yaml:"socket-path"`
 	User            string
 	Password        string
 	HistoryDatabase string `yaml:"history-database"`
diff --git a/irc/mysql/history.go b/irc/mysql/history.go
index b1b86a23..5a6cb000 100644
--- a/irc/mysql/history.go
+++ b/irc/mysql/history.go
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ func (mysql *MySQL) getExpireTime() (expireTime time.Duration) {
 
 func (m *MySQL) Open() (err error) {
 	var address string
-	if m.config.Port != 0 {
+	if m.config.SocketPath != "" {
+		address = fmt.Sprintf("unix(%s)", m.config.SocketPath)
+	} else if m.config.Port != 0 {
 		address = fmt.Sprintf("tcp(%s:%d)", m.config.Host, m.config.Port)
 	}
 
diff --git a/oragono.yaml b/oragono.yaml
index 90e43920..dfb799b4 100644
--- a/oragono.yaml
+++ b/oragono.yaml
@@ -684,8 +684,9 @@ datastore:
     mysql:
         enabled: false
         host: "localhost"
-        # port is unnecessary for connections via unix domain socket:
-        #port: 3306
+        port: 3306
+        # if socket-path is set, it will be used instead of host:port
+        #socket-path: "/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock"
         user: "oragono"
         password: "hunter2"
         history-database: "oragono_history"