diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index c0f43981..89d605cb 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -351,6 +351,16 @@ func (h *Headscale) httpAuthenticationMiddleware(c *gin.Context) {
 	// c.Next()
 }
 
+// ensureUnixSocketIsAbsent will check if the given path for headscales unix socket is clear
+// and will remove it if it is not.
+func (h *Headscale) ensureUnixSocketIsAbsent() error {
+	// File does not exist, all fine
+	if _, err := os.Stat(h.cfg.UnixSocket); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return os.Remove(h.cfg.UnixSocket)
+}
+
 // Serve launches a GIN server with the Headscale API.
 func (h *Headscale) Serve() error {
 	var err error
@@ -360,6 +370,11 @@ func (h *Headscale) Serve() error {
 
 	defer cancel()
 
+	err = h.ensureUnixSocketIsAbsent()
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+
 	socketListener, err := net.Listen("unix", h.cfg.UnixSocket)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)