diff --git a/gdb/Makefile.in b/gdb/Makefile.in
index 118c3c8062..39bbe9be88 100644
--- a/gdb/Makefile.in
+++ b/gdb/Makefile.in
@@ -2323,6 +2323,7 @@ ALLDEPFILES = \
 	ser-go32.c \
 	ser-mingw.c \
 	ser-pipe.c \
+	ser-local.c \
 	ser-tcp.c \
 	sh-nbsd-nat.c \
 	sh-nbsd-tdep.c \
diff --git a/gdb/NEWS b/gdb/NEWS
index a7a3674375..e5926897a0 100644
--- a/gdb/NEWS
+++ b/gdb/NEWS
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ maint show dwarf unwinders
 
 * Changed commands
 
+target remote FILENAME
+target extended-remote FILENAME
+  If FILENAME is a Unix domain socket, GDB will attempt to connect
+  to this socket instead of opening FILENAME as a character device.
+
 thread apply [all | COUNT | -COUNT] [FLAG]... COMMAND
   The 'thread apply' command accepts new FLAG arguments.
   FLAG arguments allow to control what output to produce and how to handle
diff --git a/gdb/configure b/gdb/configure
index 9cd0036848..95f246d013 100755
--- a/gdb/configure
+++ b/gdb/configure
@@ -15586,6 +15586,7 @@ case ${host} in
   *go32* ) SER_HARDWIRE=ser-go32.o ;;
   *djgpp* ) SER_HARDWIRE=ser-go32.o ;;
   *mingw32*) SER_HARDWIRE="ser-base.o ser-tcp.o ser-mingw.o" ;;
+  *) SER_HARDWIRE="$SER_HARDWIRE ser-local.o" ;;
 esac
 
 
diff --git a/gdb/configure.ac b/gdb/configure.ac
index 13bc5f9a8f..9a919eaa1e 100644
--- a/gdb/configure.ac
+++ b/gdb/configure.ac
@@ -1875,6 +1875,7 @@ case ${host} in
   *go32* ) SER_HARDWIRE=ser-go32.o ;;
   *djgpp* ) SER_HARDWIRE=ser-go32.o ;;
   *mingw32*) SER_HARDWIRE="ser-base.o ser-tcp.o ser-mingw.o" ;;
+  *) SER_HARDWIRE="$SER_HARDWIRE ser-local.o" ;;
 esac
 AC_SUBST(SER_HARDWIRE)
 
diff --git a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
index 5068c0ac81..dae62c1787 100644
--- a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
+++ b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
@@ -20703,7 +20703,8 @@ programs.
 
 @subsection Remote Connection Commands
 @cindex remote connection commands
-@value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, or
+@value{GDBN} can communicate with the target over a serial line, a
+local Unix domain socket, or
 over an @acronym{IP} network using @acronym{TCP} or @acronym{UDP}.  In
 each case, @value{GDBN} uses the same protocol for debugging your
 program; only the medium carrying the debugging packets varies.  The
@@ -20728,6 +20729,25 @@ If you're using a serial line, you may want to give @value{GDBN} the
 (@pxref{Remote Configuration, set serial baud}) before the
 @code{target} command.
 
+
+@item target remote @var{local-socket}
+@itemx target extended-remote @var{local-socket}
+@cindex local socket, @code{target remote}
+@cindex Unix domain socket
+Use @var{local-socket} to communicate with the target.  For example,
+to use a local Unix domain socket bound to the file system entry @file{/tmp/gdb-socket0}:
+
+@smallexample
+target remote /tmp/gdb-socket0
+@end smallexample
+
+Note that this command has the same form as the command to connect
+to a serial line.  @value{GDBN} will automatically determine which
+kind of file you have specified and will make the appropriate kind
+of connection.
+This feature is not available if the host system does not support
+Unix domain sockets.
+
 @item target remote @code{@var{host}:@var{port}}
 @itemx target remote @code{@var{[host]}:@var{port}}
 @itemx target remote @code{tcp:@var{host}:@var{port}}
diff --git a/gdb/ser-local.c b/gdb/ser-local.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a3b8248ae5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/ser-local.c
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+/* Serial interface for local domain connections on Un*x like systems.
+
+   Copyright (C) 1992-2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+   This file is part of GDB.
+
+   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include "defs.h"
+#include "serial.h"
+#include "ser-base.h"
+
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/un.h>
+
+#ifndef UNIX_PATH_MAX
+#define UNIX_PATH_MAX sizeof(((struct sockaddr_un *) NULL)->sun_path)
+#endif
+
+/* Open a AF_UNIX socket.  */
+int
+local_open (struct serial *scb, const char *name)
+{
+  struct sockaddr_un addr;
+
+  if (strlen(name) > UNIX_PATH_MAX - 1)
+    {
+      warning (_("The socket name is too long.  It may be no longer than %zu bytes."),
+               UNIX_PATH_MAX - 1L);
+      return -1;
+    }
+
+  memset (&addr, 0, sizeof addr);
+  addr.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
+  strncpy (addr.sun_path, name, UNIX_PATH_MAX - 1);
+
+  int sock = socket (AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+
+  if (connect (sock, (struct sockaddr *) &addr,
+	       sizeof (struct sockaddr_un)) < 0)
+    {
+      close (sock);
+      scb->fd = -1;
+      return -1;
+    }
+
+  scb->fd = sock;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+void
+local_close (struct serial *scb)
+{
+  if (scb->fd == -1)
+    return;
+
+  close (scb->fd);
+  scb->fd = -1;
+}
+
+static int
+local_read_prim (struct serial *scb, size_t count)
+{
+  return recv (scb->fd, scb->buf, count, 0);
+}
+
+static int
+local_write_prim (struct serial *scb, const void *buf, size_t count)
+{
+  return send (scb->fd, buf, count, 0);
+}
+
+/* The local socket ops.  */
+
+static const struct serial_ops local_ops =
+{
+  "local",
+  local_open,
+  local_close,
+  NULL,
+  ser_base_readchar,
+  ser_base_write,
+  ser_base_flush_output,
+  ser_base_flush_input,
+  ser_base_send_break,
+  ser_base_raw,
+  ser_base_get_tty_state,
+  ser_base_copy_tty_state,
+  ser_base_set_tty_state,
+  ser_base_print_tty_state,
+  ser_base_setbaudrate,
+  ser_base_setstopbits,
+  ser_base_setparity,
+  ser_base_drain_output,
+  ser_base_async,
+  local_read_prim,
+  local_write_prim
+};
+
+void
+_initialize_ser_socket (void)
+{
+  serial_add_interface (&local_ops);
+}
diff --git a/gdb/serial.c b/gdb/serial.c
index fb2b212918..c04e011012 100644
--- a/gdb/serial.c
+++ b/gdb/serial.c
@@ -213,7 +213,17 @@ serial_open (const char *name)
   else if (strchr (name, ':'))
     ops = serial_interface_lookup ("tcp");
   else
-    ops = serial_interface_lookup ("hardwire");
+    {
+#ifndef USE_WIN32API
+      /* Check to see if name is a socket.  If it is, then treat it
+         as such.  Otherwise assume that it's a character device.  */
+      struct stat sb;
+      if (0 == stat (name, &sb) && ((sb.st_mode & S_IFMT) == S_IFSOCK))
+	ops = serial_interface_lookup ("local");
+      else
+#endif
+	ops = serial_interface_lookup ("hardwire");
+    }
 
   if (!ops)
     return NULL;
