diff --git a/doc/tor.1.txt b/doc/tor.1.txt
index d95d764c67..d0d0c2f7cb 100644
--- a/doc/tor.1.txt
+++ b/doc/tor.1.txt
@@ -167,6 +167,11 @@ Other options can be specified either on the command-line (--option
     Like ControlPort, but listens on a Unix domain socket, rather than a TCP
     socket. (Unix and Unix-like systems only.)
 
+**UnixSocketsGroupWritable** **0**|**1**::
+    If this option is set to 0, don't allow the filesystem group to read and
+    write unix sockets (e.g. ControlSocket). If the option is set to 1, make
+    the control socket readable and writable by the default GID. (Default: 0)
+
 **HashedControlPassword** __hashed_password__::
     Don't allow any connections on the control port except when the other
     process knows the password whose one-way hash is __hashed_password__. You
diff --git a/src/or/config.c b/src/or/config.c
index 6a2742d954..c81fc9c594 100644
--- a/src/or/config.c
+++ b/src/or/config.c
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ static config_var_t _option_vars[] = {
   V(ControlPortFileGroupReadable,BOOL,     "0"),
   V(ControlPortWriteToFile,      FILENAME, NULL),
   V(ControlSocket,               LINELIST, NULL),
+  V(UnixSocketsGroupWritable,    BOOL,     "0"),
   V(CookieAuthentication,        BOOL,     "0"),
   V(CookieAuthFileGroupReadable, BOOL,     "0"),
   V(CookieAuthFile,              STRING,   NULL),
@@ -952,7 +953,7 @@ options_act_reversible(or_options_t *old_options, char **msg)
   }
 
 #ifndef HAVE_SYS_UN_H
-  if (options->ControlSocket) {
+  if (options->ControlSocket || options->UnixSocketsGroupWritable) {
     *msg = tor_strdup("Unix domain sockets (ControlSocket) not supported"
                       " on this OS/with this build.");
     goto rollback;
diff --git a/src/or/connection.c b/src/or/connection.c
index 01b533d9b5..d0898c5e5c 100644
--- a/src/or/connection.c
+++ b/src/or/connection.c
@@ -966,6 +966,13 @@ connection_create_listener(const struct sockaddr *listensockaddr,
                tor_socket_strerror(tor_socket_errno(s)));
       goto err;
     }
+    if (get_options()->UnixSocketsGroupWritable) {
+      if (chmod(address, 0660) < 0) {
+        log_warn(LD_FS,"Unable to make %s group-readable.", address);
+        tor_close_socket(s);
+        goto err;
+      }
+    }
 
     if (listen(s,SOMAXCONN) < 0) {
       log_warn(LD_NET, "Could not listen on %s: %s", address,
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index 5647691550..b72693f029 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -2445,6 +2445,7 @@ typedef struct {
   int ControlPort; /**< Port to listen on for control connections. */
   config_line_t *ControlSocket; /**< List of Unix Domain Sockets to listen on
                                  * for control connections. */
+  int UnixSocketsGroupWritable; /**< Boolean: Are unix sockets g+rw? */
   int DirPort; /**< Port to listen on for directory connections. */
   int DNSPort; /**< Port to listen on for DNS requests. */
   int AssumeReachable; /**< Whether to publish our descriptor regardless. */