diff --git a/source/commands2.c b/source/commands2.c
index 344134b..3c01975 100644
--- a/source/commands2.c
+++ b/source/commands2.c
@@ -2576,7 +2576,7 @@ static int create_ipc_socket(void)
 
 	init_socketpath();
 
-	if ((s = connect_by_number(NULL, &port, SERVICE_SERVER, PROTOCOL_TCP, 0)) < 0)
+	if ((s = connect_by_number("127.0.0.1", &port, SERVICE_SERVER, PROTOCOL_TCP, 0)) < 0)
 	{
 		bitchsay("Error creating IPC socket: [%d] %s", s, strerror(errno));
 		return 1;
diff --git a/source/network.c b/source/network.c
index dd318a8..cad3093 100644
--- a/source/network.c
+++ b/source/network.c
@@ -466,7 +466,11 @@ int BX_connect_by_number(char *hostn, unsigned short *portnum, int service, int
 
 		memset(&name, 0, sizeof name);
 		name.sin_family = AF_INET;
-		name.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+
+		if (hostn)
+			inet_aton(hostn, &name.sin_addr);
+		else
+			name.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
 
 		name.sin_port = htons(*portnum);
 #ifdef PARANOID