diff --git a/Resque.php b/Resque.php
index f0e263a..a3c3aa8 100644
--- a/Resque.php
+++ b/Resque.php
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@ public function setRedisConfiguration($host, $port, $database)
             'port'     => $port,
             'database' => $database,
         );
+        $host = substr($host, 0, 1) == '/' ? $host : $host.':'.$port;
 
-        \Resque::setBackend($host.':'.$port, $database);
+        \Resque::setBackend($host, $database);
     }
 
     public function setGlobalRetryStrategy($strategy)