diff --git a/packages/server/src/listener.js b/packages/server/src/listener.js
index d3d753c88a..04f13a442f 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/listener.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/listener.js
@@ -95,15 +95,16 @@ export default class Listener {
 
     // Use better error message
     if (addressInUse) {
-      error.message = `Address \`${this.host}:${this.port}\` is already in use.`
-    }
+      const address = this.socket || `${this.host}:${this.port}`
+      error.message = `Address \`${address}\` is already in use.`
 
-    // Listen to a random port on dev as a fallback
-    if (addressInUse && this.dev && this.port !== '0') {
-      consola.warn(error.message)
-      consola.info('Trying a random port...')
-      this.port = '0'
-      return this.close().then(() => this.listen())
+      // Listen to a random port on dev as a fallback
+      if (this.dev && !this.socket && this.port !== '0') {
+        consola.warn(error.message)
+        consola.info('Trying a random port...')
+        this.port = '0'
+        return this.close().then(() => this.listen())
+      }
     }
 
     // Throw error
diff --git a/packages/server/test/listener.test.js b/packages/server/test/listener.test.js
index 0747fe05fd..e53624fd6d 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/listener.test.js
+++ b/packages/server/test/listener.test.js
@@ -330,6 +330,15 @@ describe('server: listener', () => {
     expect(() => listener.serverErrorHandler(addressInUse)).toThrow('Address `localhost:3000` is already in use.')
   })
 
+  test('should throw address in use error for socket', () => {
+    const listener = new Listener({})
+    listener.socket = 'nuxt.socket'
+
+    const addressInUse = new Error()
+    addressInUse.code = 'EADDRINUSE'
+    expect(() => listener.serverErrorHandler(addressInUse)).toThrow('Address `nuxt.socket` is already in use.')
+  })
+
   test('should fallback to a random port in address in use error', async () => {
     const listener = new Listener({ dev: true })
     listener.host = 'localhost'