diff --git a/pykolab/setup/setup_mysql.py b/pykolab/setup/setup_mysql.py
--- a/pykolab/setup/setup_mysql.py
+++ b/pykolab/setup/setup_mysql.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
         "--mysqlserver",
         dest="mysqlserver",
         action="store",
-        help=_("Specify whether to use an (existing) or (new) MySQL server.")
+        help=_("Specify whether to use an (existing), (unix_socket) or (new) MySQL server.")
     )
 
     mysql_group.add_option(
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@
 
     options = {
         1: "Existing MySQL server (with root password already set).",
-        2: "New MySQL server (needs to be initialized)."
+        2: "Existing MySQL server (with unix_socket authentication plugin).",
+        3: "New MySQL server (needs to be initialized)."
     }
 
     answer = 0
@@ -130,8 +131,10 @@
             if conf.mysqlserver:
                 if conf.mysqlserver == 'existing':
                     answer = 1
-                elif conf.mysqlserver == 'new':
+                elif conf.mysqlserver == 'unix_socket':
                     answer = 2
+                elif conf.mysqlserver == 'new':
+                    answer = 3
             if answer == 0:
                 answer = utils.ask_menu(_("What MySQL server are we setting up?"), options)
     else:
@@ -154,6 +157,9 @@
         else:
             mysql_root_password = conf.mysqlrootpw
 
+    elif answer == "2" or answer == 2:
+        mysql_root_password = 'unix_socket'
+
     else:
         print >> sys.stderr, utils.multiline_message(
             _("""
@@ -222,13 +228,33 @@
         p1.stdout.close()
         p2.communicate()
 
-    data = """
+    socket_path = None
+    socket_paths = [
+        "/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock",
+        "/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock",
+        "/var/run/mysql/mysql.sock"
+    ]
+    for sp in socket_paths:
+        if os.path.exists(sp):
+            socket_path = sp
+
+    if mysql_root_password == "unix_socket" and socket_path is not None:
+        data = """
+[mysql]
+user=root
+password=
+host=localhost
+socket=%s
+""" % (socket_path)
+    else:
+        data = """
 [mysql]
 user=root
 password='%s'
 host=%s
 """ % (mysql_root_password, conf.mysqlhost)
 
+
     fp = open('/tmp/kolab-setup-my.cnf', 'w')
     os.chmod('/tmp/kolab-setup-my.cnf', 600)
     fp.write(data)
diff --git a/pykolab/setup/setup_roundcube.py b/pykolab/setup/setup_roundcube.py
--- a/pykolab/setup/setup_roundcube.py
+++ b/pykolab/setup/setup_roundcube.py
@@ -224,11 +224,35 @@
             break
 
     if not os.path.isfile('/tmp/kolab-setup-my.cnf'):
-        utils.multiline_message("""Please supply the MySQL root password""")
+        print >> sys.stderr, utils.multiline_message(
+                """Please supply the MySQL root password (use 'unix_socket' for socket based authentication)"""
+            )
 
-        mysql_root_password = utils.ask_question("MySQL root password", password=True)
+        mysql_root_password = utils.ask_question(
+                _("MySQL root password"),
+                password=True
+            )
 
-        data = """
+        socket_path = None
+        socket_paths = [
+            "/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock",
+            "/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock",
+            "/var/run/mysql/mysql.sock"
+        ]
+        for sp in socket_paths:
+            if os.path.exists(sp):
+                socket_path = sp
+
+        if mysql_root_password == "unix_socket" and socket_path is not None:
+            data = """
+[mysql]
+user=root
+password=
+host=localhost
+socket=%s
+""" % (socket_path)
+        else:
+            data = """
 [mysql]
 user=root
 password='%s'
diff --git a/pykolab/setup/setup_syncroton.py b/pykolab/setup/setup_syncroton.py
--- a/pykolab/setup/setup_syncroton.py
+++ b/pykolab/setup/setup_syncroton.py
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@
             break
 
     if not os.path.isfile('/tmp/kolab-setup-my.cnf'):
-        utils.multiline_message(
-                """Please supply the MySQL root password"""
+        print >> sys.stderr, utils.multiline_message(
+                """Please supply the MySQL root password (use 'unix_socket' for socket based authentication)"""
             )
 
         mysql_root_password = utils.ask_question(
@@ -75,6 +75,32 @@
                 password=True
             )
 
+        socket_path = None
+        socket_paths = [
+            "/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock",
+            "/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock",
+            "/var/run/mysql/mysql.sock"
+        ]
+        for sp in socket_paths:
+            if os.path.exists(sp):
+                socket_path = sp
+
+        if mysql_root_password == "unix_socket" and socket_path is not None:
+            data = """
+[mysql]
+user=root
+password=
+host=localhost
+socket=%s
+""" % (socket_path)
+        else:
+            data = """
+[mysql]
+user=root
+password='%s'
+host=%s
+""" % (mysql_root_password, conf.mysqlhost)
+
         data = """
 [mysql]
 user=root