diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index a87bb88..bf56b7c 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ let createClient = function(params) {
   return new MessageBus(connection);
 };
 
+/**
+ * Create a new {@link MessageBus} client on a manually defined bus to connect to
+ * interfaces or request service names. Connects to the socket specified by the
+ * properties assigned.
+ */
+module.exports.createClient = createClient;
 /**
  * Create a new {@link MessageBus} client on the DBus system bus to connect to
  * interfaces or request service names. Connects to the socket specified by the
diff --git a/lib/connection.js b/lib/connection.js
index c47acdf..a63a7f9 100644
--- a/lib/connection.js
+++ b/lib/connection.js
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ function createStream(opts) {
     try {
       switch (family.toLowerCase()) {
         case 'tcp':
-          throw new Error('tcp dbus connections are not supported');
+          host = params.host || 'localhost';
+          port = params.port;
+          return net.createConnection(port, host);
         case 'unix':
           if (params.socket) {
             return net.createConnection(params.socket);