diff --git a/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py b/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py
index 7c90ca40..6ea18fda 100755
--- a/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py
+++ b/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py
@@ -168,19 +168,6 @@ class Fail2banClient(Fail2banCmdLine, Thread):
 		if not ret:
 			return None
 
-		# verify that directory for the socket file exists
-		socket_dir = os.path.dirname(self._conf["socket"])
-		if not os.path.exists(socket_dir):
-			logSys.error(
-				"There is no directory %s to contain the socket file %s."
-				% (socket_dir, self._conf["socket"]))
-			return None
-		if not os.access(socket_dir, os.W_OK | os.X_OK): # pragma: no cover
-			logSys.error(
-				"Directory %s exists but not accessible for writing"
-				% (socket_dir,))
-			return None
-
 		# Check already running
 		if not self._conf["force"] and os.path.exists(self._conf["socket"]):
 			logSys.error("Fail2ban seems to be in unexpected state (not running but the socket exists)")
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py
index a334b568..fd6d6bbd 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py
@@ -623,12 +623,6 @@ class Fail2banClientTest(Fail2banClientServerBase):
 		self.assertLogged("Base configuration directory " + pjoin(tmp, "miss") + " does not exist")
 		self.pruneLog()
 
-		## wrong socket
-		self.execCmd(FAILED, (),
-			"--async", "-c", pjoin(tmp, "config"), "-s", pjoin(tmp, "miss/f2b.sock"), "start")
-		self.assertLogged("There is no directory " + pjoin(tmp, "miss") + " to contain the socket file")
-		self.pruneLog()
-
 		## not running
 		self.execCmd(FAILED, (),
 			"-c", pjoin(tmp, "config"), "-s", pjoin(tmp, "f2b.sock"), "reload")
@@ -724,12 +718,6 @@ class Fail2banServerTest(Fail2banClientServerBase):
 		self.assertLogged("Base configuration directory " + pjoin(tmp, "miss") + " does not exist")
 		self.pruneLog()
 
-		## wrong socket
-		self.execCmd(FAILED, (),
-			"-c", pjoin(tmp, "config"), "-x", "-s", pjoin(tmp, "miss/f2b.sock"))
-		self.assertLogged("There is no directory " + pjoin(tmp, "miss") + " to contain the socket file")
-		self.pruneLog()
-
 		## already exists:
 		open(pjoin(tmp, "f2b.sock"), 'a').close()
 		self.execCmd(FAILED, (),