diff --git a/common/os_calls.c b/common/os_calls.c
index 7395a8d9..864d1a9a 100644
--- a/common/os_calls.c
+++ b/common/os_calls.c
@@ -2678,6 +2678,23 @@ g_executable_exist(const char *exename)
     return access(exename, R_OK | X_OK) == 0;
 }
 
+/*****************************************************************************/
+/* returns boolean, non zero if the socket exists */
+int
+g_socket_exist(const char *sockname)
+{
+    struct stat st;
+
+    if (stat(sockname, &st) == 0)
+    {
+        return S_ISSOCK(st.st_mode);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+}
+
 /*****************************************************************************/
 /* returns boolean */
 int
diff --git a/common/os_calls.h b/common/os_calls.h
index 02bd36fb..15aac65d 100644
--- a/common/os_calls.h
+++ b/common/os_calls.h
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ int      g_file_exist(const char *filename);
 int      g_file_readable(const char *filename);
 int      g_directory_exist(const char *dirname);
 int      g_executable_exist(const char *dirname);
+int      g_socket_exist(const char *dirname);
 int      g_create_dir(const char *dirname);
 int      g_create_path(const char *path);
 int      g_remove_dir(const char *dirname);