diff --git a/command/agent/command_test.go b/command/agent/command_test.go
index bcd6be807c..d365b338ed 100644
--- a/command/agent/command_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/command_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
-	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/testutil"
@@ -166,7 +165,7 @@ func TestRetryJoinWanFail(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestSetupAgent_UnixSocket_Fails(t *testing.T) {
+func TestSetupAgent_RPCUnixSocket_FileExists(t *testing.T) {
 	conf := nextConfig()
 	tmpDir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "consul")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -185,8 +184,7 @@ func TestSetupAgent_UnixSocket_Fails(t *testing.T) {
 	conf.Server = true
 	conf.Bootstrap = true
 
-	// Set socket address to an existing file. Consul should fail to
-	// start and return an error.
+	// Set socket address to an existing file.
 	conf.Addresses.RPC = "unix://" + socketPath
 
 	shutdownCh := make(chan struct{})
@@ -200,12 +198,17 @@ func TestSetupAgent_UnixSocket_Fails(t *testing.T) {
 	logWriter := NewLogWriter(512)
 	logOutput := new(bytes.Buffer)
 
-	// Ensure we got an error mentioning the socket file
-	err = cmd.setupAgent(conf, logOutput, logWriter)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("should have failed")
+	// Ensure the server is created
+	if err := cmd.setupAgent(conf, logOutput, logWriter); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
 	}
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), socketPath) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected socket file error, got: %q", err)
+
+	// Ensure the file was replaced by the socket
+	fi, err := os.Stat(socketPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	if fi.Mode()&os.ModeSocket == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected socket to replace file")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/command/agent/http_test.go b/command/agent/http_test.go
index 4677d5ba53..0f723ffd62 100644
--- a/command/agent/http_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/http_test.go
@@ -132,11 +132,17 @@ func TestHTTPServer_UnixSocket_FileExists(t *testing.T) {
 	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
 
 	// Try to start the server with the same path anyways.
-	if servers, err := NewHTTPServers(agent, conf, agent.logOutput); err == nil {
-		for _, server := range servers {
-			server.Shutdown()
-		}
-		t.Fatalf("expected socket binding error")
+	if _, err := NewHTTPServers(agent, conf, agent.logOutput); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Ensure the file was replaced by the socket
+	fi, err = os.Stat(socket)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	if fi.Mode()&os.ModeSocket == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected socket to replace file")
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/command/agent/util_test.go b/command/agent/util_test.go
index 92b89d26f4..b140f477d2 100644
--- a/command/agent/util_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/util_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package agent
 
 import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -39,3 +41,59 @@ func TestStringHash(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", out)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSetFilePermissions(t *testing.T) {
+	tempFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "consul")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	path := tempFile.Name()
+	defer os.Remove(path)
+
+	// Bad UID fails
+	if err := setFilePermissions(path, map[string]string{"uid": "%"}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should fail")
+	}
+
+	// Bad GID fails
+	if err := setFilePermissions(path, map[string]string{"gid": "%"}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should fail")
+	}
+
+	// Bad mode fails
+	if err := setFilePermissions(path, map[string]string{"mode": "%"}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should fail")
+	}
+
+	// Allows omitting user/group/mode
+	if err := setFilePermissions(path, map[string]string{}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Doesn't change mode if not given
+	if err := os.Chmod(path, 0700); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	if err := setFilePermissions(path, map[string]string{}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	fi, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	if fi.Mode().String() != "-rwx------" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", fi.Mode())
+	}
+
+	// Changes mode if given
+	if err := setFilePermissions(path, map[string]string{"mode": "0777"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	fi, err = os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	if fi.Mode().String() != "-rwxrwxrwx" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %s", fi.Mode())
+	}
+}