diff --git a/model/client4.go b/model/client4.go
index 312096ab2d..d523410650 100644
--- a/model/client4.go
+++ b/model/client4.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"mime/multipart"
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"strconv"
@@ -118,6 +119,19 @@ func NewAPIv4Client(url string) *Client4 {
 	return &Client4{url, url + API_URL_SUFFIX, &http.Client{}, "", "", map[string]string{}, "", ""}
 }
 
+func NewAPIv4SocketClient(socketPath string) *Client4 {
+	tr := &http.Transport{
+		Dial: func(network, addr string) (net.Conn, error) {
+			return net.Dial("unix", socketPath)
+		},
+	}
+
+	client := NewAPIv4Client("http://_")
+	client.HttpClient = &http.Client{Transport: tr}
+
+	return client
+}
+
 func BuildErrorResponse(r *http.Response, err *AppError) *Response {
 	var statusCode int
 	var header http.Header