diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6572a7c..1ea4db0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ The following functions are promisified:
 - `MqttClient#unsubscribe`
 - `MqttClient#end`
 
+### IPC Support
+
+`mqttletoad` supports connecting to an MQTT broker running on a named pipe.
+
 ## Install
 
 **Node.js v7.0.0 or greater required**.
@@ -201,6 +205,9 @@ const myfunc = async () => {
   
   // disconnect
   await client.end();
+
+  // IPC support (mqtt only; not ws)
+  const client = await toad.connect({path: '/path/to/my/named/pipe'});
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 538bf4d..2c827c2 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 const MQTT = require('mqtt');
 const pify = require('pify');
+const net = require('net');
 const {EventEmitter2} = require('eventemitter2');
 const decoders = require('./decoders');
 const encoders = require('./encoders');
@@ -177,17 +178,20 @@ exports.connect = async (url, opts = {}) => {
     opts = normalizeOptions(opts);
     args = [url, opts];
   } else {
-    url = normalizeOptions(url);
-    args = [url];
+    opts = normalizeOptions(url);
+    args = [opts];
   }
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    MQTT.connect(...args)
+    (opts.path
+      ? MQTT.MqttClient(() => net.createConnection(opts.path))
+      : MQTT.connect(...args)
+    )
       .on('connect', function(connack) {
         /**
-       * If `false`, this is a clean session
-       * @public
-       * @memberOf client
-       */
+         * If `false`, this is a clean session
+         * @public
+         * @memberOf client
+         */
         this.sessionPresent = Boolean(connack.sessionPresent);
       })
       .once('error', reject)
diff --git a/test/harness/index.js b/test/harness/index.js
index a219a79..25b53f5 100644
--- a/test/harness/index.js
+++ b/test/harness/index.js
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ exports.createBroker = async (port, transformers = {}) => {
       });
   });
   broker.transformers = transformers;
+  broker.port = port;
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     broker.listen(port, err => {
       if (err) {
diff --git a/test/mqttletoad.spec.js b/test/mqttletoad.spec.js
index 0d0c95f..b27da27 100644
--- a/test/mqttletoad.spec.js
+++ b/test/mqttletoad.spec.js
@@ -6,96 +6,126 @@ const {MqttClient} = require('mqtt');
 const {connect} = require('..');
 const {createBroker} = require('./harness');
 const getPort = require('get-port');
+const os = require('os');
+const path = require('path');
 
 describe('mqttletoad', function() {
   let broker;
   let port;
 
-  describe('connect()', function() {
-    describe('when given no arguments', function() {
-      it('should reject', async function() {
-        return expect(connect(), 'to be rejected with', /invalid/i);
-      });
-    });
+  describe('method', function() {
+    describe('connect()', function() {
+      describe('IPC', function() {
+        let client;
 
-    describe('when given a valid connection object', function() {
-      let client;
+        beforeEach(async function() {
+          broker = await createBroker(
+            path.join(os.tmpdir(), `mqttletoad-${Date.now()}`)
+          );
+        });
 
-      beforeEach(async function() {
-        port = await getPort();
-        broker = await createBroker(port);
-      });
+        afterEach(function(done) {
+          client.end().then(() => {
+            broker.close(done);
+          });
+        });
 
-      it('should fulfill', async function() {
-        const promise = connect({host: 'localhost', port, protocol: 'mqtt'});
-        client = await expect(promise, 'to be fulfilled');
-        return client.end();
+        it('should allow connection via a path', async function() {
+          client = await connect({path: broker.port});
+        });
       });
 
-      afterEach(function(done) {
-        client.end().then(() => {
-          broker.close(done);
+      describe('TCP', function() {
+        describe('when given no arguments', function() {
+          it('should reject', async function() {
+            return expect(connect(), 'to be rejected with', /invalid/i);
+          });
         });
-      });
-    });
 
-    describe('upon first connection', function() {
-      let promise;
+        describe('when given a valid connection object', function() {
+          let client;
 
-      beforeEach(async function() {
-        port = await getPort();
-        broker = await createBroker(port);
-        promise = connect(`mqtt://localhost:${port}`);
-      });
+          beforeEach(async function() {
+            port = await getPort();
+            broker = await createBroker(port);
+          });
+
+          it('should fulfill', async function() {
+            const promise = connect({
+              host: 'localhost',
+              port,
+              protocol: 'mqtt'
+            });
+            client = await expect(promise, 'to be fulfilled');
+            return client.end();
+          });
 
-      afterEach(function(done) {
-        promise.then(client => client.end()).then(() => {
-          broker.close(done);
+          afterEach(function(done) {
+            client.end().then(() => {
+              broker.close(done);
+            });
+          });
         });
-      });
 
-      it('should resolve with the wrapped MqttClient once connected', async function() {
-        return expect(
-          promise,
-          'when fulfilled',
-          expect.it('to be a', MqttClient)
-        );
-      });
+        describe('upon first connection', function() {
+          let promise;
 
-      it('should assign `sessionPresent` property', async function() {
-        return expect(
-          promise,
-          'when fulfilled',
-          expect.it('to have property', 'sessionPresent', false)
-        );
-      });
-    });
+          beforeEach(async function() {
+            port = await getPort();
+            broker = await createBroker(port);
+            promise = connect(`mqtt://localhost:${port}`);
+          });
 
-    describe('upon subsequent connections', function() {
-      let client;
+          afterEach(function(done) {
+            promise.then(client => client.end()).then(() => {
+              broker.close(done);
+            });
+          });
 
-      beforeEach(async function() {
-        port = await getPort();
-        broker = await createBroker(port);
-        client = await connect(`mqtt://localhost:${port}`);
-        broker.transformers.connack = _ => ({
-          returnCode: 0,
-          sessionPresent: true
-        });
-        client.stream.end();
-        // at this point, it should automatically reconnect
-      });
+          it('should resolve with the wrapped MqttClient once connected', async function() {
+            return expect(
+              promise,
+              'when fulfilled',
+              expect.it('to be a', MqttClient)
+            );
+          });
 
-      afterEach(function(done) {
-        client.end().then(() => {
-          broker.close(done);
+          it('should assign `sessionPresent` property', async function() {
+            return expect(
+              promise,
+              'when fulfilled',
+              expect.it('to have property', 'sessionPresent', false)
+            );
+          });
         });
-      });
 
-      it('should update `sessionPresent` accordingly', function(done) {
-        client.once('connect', () => {
-          expect(client.sessionPresent, 'to be', true);
-          done();
+        describe('upon subsequent connections', function() {
+          let client;
+
+          beforeEach(async function() {
+            port = await getPort();
+            broker = await createBroker(port);
+            client = await connect(`mqtt://localhost:${port}`);
+            broker.transformers.connack = _ => ({
+              returnCode: 0,
+              sessionPresent: true
+            });
+            client.stream.end();
+            // at this point, it should automatically reconnect
+          });
+
+          afterEach(function(done) {
+            client.end().then(() => {
+              broker.close(done);
+            });
+          });
+
+          it('should update `sessionPresent` accordingly', function(done) {
+            client.once('connect', () => {
+              expect(client.sessionPresent, 'to be', true);
+              done();
+            });
+          });
         });
       });
     });