diff --git a/apps/magpie/src/service/ipc.rs b/apps/magpie/src/service/ipc.rs
index c4271bf..ad9dce2 100644
--- a/apps/magpie/src/service/ipc.rs
+++ b/apps/magpie/src/service/ipc.rs
@@ -66,6 +66,35 @@ impl DerefMut for Listener {
     }
 }
 
+impl Listener {
+    fn new() -> std::io::Result<Self> {
+        let sock_dir = std::env::var("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR").expect("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set");
+        let sock_dir = Path::new(&sock_dir);
+        let sock_path = sock_dir.join(SOCK_NAME);
+
+        use std::io::{Error, ErrorKind};
+        match UnixStream::connect(&sock_path) {
+            Ok(_) => {
+                eprintln!("Socket is already in use. Another instance of Magpie may be running.");
+                let kind = ErrorKind::AddrInUse;
+                let error = Error::new(kind, "Socket is already in use.");
+                return Err(error);
+            }
+            Err(ref err) if err.kind() == ErrorKind::ConnectionRefused => {
+                eprintln!("Found leftover socket; removing.");
+                std::fs::remove_file(&sock_path)?;
+            }
+            Err(ref err) if err.kind() == ErrorKind::NotFound => {}
+            Err(err) => return Err(err),
+        }
+
+        eprintln!("Making socket at: {:?}", sock_path);
+        let uds = UnixListener::bind(&sock_path)?;
+        let path = sock_path.to_path_buf();
+        Ok(Self { uds, path })
+    }
+}
+
 pub struct IpcData {
     poll: Poll,
     window_to_client_panel: HashMap<usize, (usize, PanelId)>,
@@ -162,15 +191,7 @@ pub struct Ipc {
 
 impl Ipc {
     pub fn new(window_sender: WindowMessageSender) -> std::io::Result<(Self, IpcMessageSender)> {
-        let sock_dir = std::env::var("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR").expect("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set");
-        let sock_dir = Path::new(&sock_dir);
-        let sock_path = sock_dir.join(SOCK_NAME);
-        eprintln!("Making socket at: {:?}", sock_path);
-
-        let mut listener = Listener {
-            uds: UnixListener::bind(&sock_path)?,
-            path: sock_path.to_path_buf(),
-        };
+        let mut listener = Listener::new()?;
 
         let mut signals = Signals::new(Signal::Interrupt | Signal::Quit)?;