diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 2e37ed3d..71941c3d 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # unreleased
 
+changes since 1.8.0
+
+* Restore behavior where 'sockdir' can be changed by setting 'host'
+  to something that starts with a slash. Mtest.py relies on this.
+
 
 # 1.8.0
 
diff --git a/pymonetdb/target.py b/pymonetdb/target.py
index 51cc044c..19c09b01 100644
--- a/pymonetdb/target.py
+++ b/pymonetdb/target.py
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ def looks_like_url(text: str) -> bool:
 )
 IGNORED = set(['hash', 'debug', 'logfile'])
 VIRTUAL = set([
-    'connect_scan', 'connect_unix', 'connect_tcp', 'connect_port',
+    'connect_scan', 'connect_sockdir',
+    'connect_unix', 'connect_tcp', 'connect_port',
     'connect_tls_verify', 'connect_certhash_digits',
     'connect_binary', 'connect_clientkey', 'connect_clientcert',
 ])
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ def looks_like_url(text: str) -> bool:
     tableschema="",
     table="",
     sock="",
-    sockdir="/tmp",
+    sockdir="",
     sockprefix=".s.monetdb.",
     cert="",
     certhash="",
@@ -427,27 +428,42 @@ def validate(self):    # noqa C901
     def connect_scan(self):
         if not self.database:
             return False
-        if self.sock or self.host or self.port != -1:
+        if self.sock:
+            return False
+        if self.host and not self.host.startswith('/'):
+            return False
+        if self.port != -1:
             return False
         if self.tls:
             return False
         return True
 
+    @property
+    def connect_sockdir(self):
+        if self.sockdir:
+            return self.sockdir
+        elif self.host and self.host.startswith('/'):
+            return self.host
+        else:
+            return "/tmp"
+
     @property
     def connect_unix(self):
         if self.sock:
             return self.sock
         if self.tls:
             return ""
-        if self.host == "":
-            return f"{self.sockdir}/{self.sockprefix}{self.connect_port}"
+        if self.host == "" or self.host.startswith('/'):
+            return f"{self.connect_sockdir}/{self.sockprefix}{self.connect_port}"
         return ""
 
     @property
     def connect_tcp(self):
         if self.sock:
             return ""
-        return self.host or "localhost"
+        if self.host and not self.host.startswith('/'):
+            return self.host
+        return "localhost"
 
     @property
     def connect_port(self):
diff --git a/tests/tests.md b/tests/tests.md
index d4ac652a..edf34bc9 100644
--- a/tests/tests.md
+++ b/tests/tests.md
@@ -291,9 +291,11 @@ EXPECT sock=C:\TEMP\sock
 ### sockdir
 
 ```test
-EXPECT sockdir=/tmp
+EXPECT sockdir=
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/tmp
 ACCEPT monetdb:///demo?sockdir=/tmp/nonstandard
 EXPECT sockdir=/tmp/nonstandard
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/tmp/nonstandard
 EXPECT connect_unix=/tmp/nonstandard/.s.monetdb.50000
 ```
 
@@ -1193,22 +1195,83 @@ EXPECT connect_tcp=not.localhost
 REJECT monetdbs://not.localhost/?sock=/a/path
 ```
 
-### sock and sockdir
+### sock, sockdir and host
 
 Sockdir only applies to implicit Unix domain sockets,
 not to ones that are given explicitly
 
 ```test
-EXPECT sockdir=/tmp
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/tmp
 EXPECT port=-1
 EXPECT host=
 EXPECT connect_unix=/tmp/.s.monetdb.50000
 SET sockdir=/somewhere/else
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/somewhere/else
 EXPECT connect_unix=/somewhere/else/.s.monetdb.50000
 SET port=12345
 EXPECT connect_unix=/somewhere/else/.s.monetdb.12345
 ```
 
+Mtest.py and maybe other software expects to be able to set **sockdir** by passing a path
+in **host**.
+
+```test
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/tmp
+SET host=banana
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/tmp
+SET host=/somewhere/else
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/somewhere/else
+EXPECT connect_tcp=localhost
+```
+
+Setting **sockdir** takes precedence over **host**.
+
+```test
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/tmp
+SET sockdir=/xyz
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/xyz
+SET host=banana
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/xyz
+SET host=/somewhere/else
+EXPECT connect_sockdir=/xyz
+EXPECT connect_unix=/xyz/.s.monetdb.50000
+```
+
+**connect_tcp** behaves as if **host** is empty.
+
+```test
+SET host=/somewhere/else
+EXPECT connect_unix=/somewhere/else/.s.monetdb.50000
+EXPECT connect_tcp=localhost
+```
+
+```test
+SET host=/somewhere/else
+SET sock=/tmp/foo.sock
+EXPECT valid=false
+```
+
+*connect_scan** behavior does not change when setting **sockdir** through **host**.
+
+```test
+EXPECT database=
+EXPECT connect_scan=off
+EXPECT connect_tcp=localhost
+SET host=/somewhere/else
+EXPECT connect_scan=off
+EXPECT connect_tcp=localhost
+```
+
+```test
+SET database=demo
+EXPECT connect_scan=on
+EXPECT connect_tcp=localhost
+SET host=/somewhere/else
+EXPECT connect_scan=on
+EXPECT connect_tcp=localhost
+```
+
+
 ## Legacy URL's
 
 ```test