diff --git a/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test.sh b/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test.sh
--- a/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test.sh
+++ b/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test.sh
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@
 
     printf "+169.254.0.2\nuser.debug\t${SYSLOGD_LOGFILE}\n" > "${SYSLOGD_CONFIG}"
     syslogd_start -j syslogd_allowed_peer -P ${SYSLOGD_PIDFILE}.2 \
-        -b 169.254.0.1:514 -a 169.254.0.2/32
+        -b 169.254.0.1:514 -a 169.254.0.2/32 -p ${PWD}/peer
 
     # A message forwarded to 169.254.0.1:514 should be logged, but one
     # forwarded to 169.254.0.1:515 should not.
@@ -544,8 +544,10 @@
 ftp.debug ${SYSLOGD_LOGFILE}
 __EOF__
 
-    syslogd_start -j syslogd_server -f ${PWD}/server_config -b 169.254.0.1 -b 169.254.0.2
-    syslogd_start -j syslogd_client -f ${PWD}/client_config -P ${SYSLOGD_PIDFILE}.2
+    syslogd_start -j syslogd_server -f ${PWD}/server_config \
+        -b 169.254.0.1 -b 169.254.0.2
+    syslogd_start -j syslogd_client -f ${PWD}/client_config \
+        -p ${PWD}/client -P ${SYSLOGD_PIDFILE}.2
 
     syslogd_log_jail syslogd_client \
         -h 169.254.0.3 -P $SYSLOGD_UDP_PORT -p user.debug -t test1 "hello, world"
diff --git a/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test_common.sh b/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test_common.sh
--- a/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test_common.sh
+++ b/usr.sbin/syslogd/tests/syslogd_test_common.sh
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@
         esac
     done
 
+    socket=${socket:-${SYSLOGD_LOCAL_SOCKET}}
+    if [ -S "${socket}" ]; then
+        atf_fail "socket ${socket} already exists"
+    fi
+
     # Setup loopback so we can deliver messages to ourself.
     if [ $($jail sysctl -n security.jail.vnet) -ne 0 ]; then
         atf_check $jail ifconfig lo0 inet 127.0.0.1/8
@@ -80,7 +85,7 @@
         -f "${conf_file:-${SYSLOGD_CONFIG}}" \
         -H \
         -P "${pid_file:-${SYSLOGD_PIDFILE}}" \
-        -p "${socket:-${SYSLOGD_LOCAL_SOCKET}}" \
+        -p "${socket}" \
         -S "${privsocket:-${SYSLOGD_LOCAL_PRIVSOCKET}}" \
         ${other_args} \
         &
@@ -92,7 +97,7 @@
         done
     fi
     while [ "$((i+=1))" -le 20 ]; do
-        [ -S "${socket:-${SYSLOGD_LOCAL_SOCKET}}" ] && return
+        [ -S "${socket}" ] && return
         sleep 0.1
     done
     atf_fail "timed out waiting for syslogd to start"