diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1a5fb9d4..ac9f74d9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ dist/
 docs/mkdocs/site
 test-results.xml
 __pycache__
+# Vim
+.*.sw*
 # generated by setuptools_scm
 bumble/_version.py
 .vscode/launch.json
diff --git a/bumble/transport/tcp_server.py b/bumble/transport/tcp_server.py
index 77d03046..8991ead0 100644
--- a/bumble/transport/tcp_server.py
+++ b/bumble/transport/tcp_server.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 import asyncio
 import logging
+import socket
 
 from .common import Transport, StreamPacketSource
 
@@ -28,6 +29,12 @@
 
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# A pass-through function to ease mock testing.
+async def _create_server(*args, **kw_args):
+    await asyncio.get_running_loop().create_server(*args, **kw_args)
+
+
 async def open_tcp_server_transport(spec: str) -> Transport:
     '''
     Open a TCP server transport.
@@ -38,7 +45,22 @@ async def open_tcp_server_transport(spec: str) -> Transport:
 
     Example: _:9001
     '''
+    local_host, local_port = spec.split(':')
+    return await _open_tcp_server_transport_impl(
+        host=local_host if local_host != '_' else None, port=int(local_port)
+    )
+
+
+async def open_tcp_server_transport_with_socket(sock: socket.socket) -> Transport:
+    '''
+    Open a TCP server transport with an existing socket.
+
+    One reason to use this variant is to let python pick an unused port.
+    '''
+    return await _open_tcp_server_transport_impl(sock=sock)
+
 
+async def _open_tcp_server_transport_impl(**kwargs) -> Transport:
     class TcpServerTransport(Transport):
         async def close(self):
             await super().close()
@@ -77,13 +99,10 @@ def on_packet(self, packet):
             else:
                 logger.debug('no client, dropping packet')
 
-    local_host, local_port = spec.split(':')
     packet_source = StreamPacketSource()
     packet_sink = TcpServerPacketSink()
-    await asyncio.get_running_loop().create_server(
-        lambda: TcpServerProtocol(packet_source, packet_sink),
-        host=local_host if local_host != '_' else None,
-        port=int(local_port),
+    await _create_server(
+        lambda: TcpServerProtocol(packet_source, packet_sink), **kwargs
     )
 
     return TcpServerTransport(packet_source, packet_sink)
diff --git a/tests/transport_tcp_server_test.py b/tests/transport_tcp_server_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5f015d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/transport_tcp_server_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# Copyright 2024 Google LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import asyncio
+import os
+import pytest
+import socket
+import unittest
+from unittest.mock import ANY, patch
+
+from bumble.transport.tcp_server import (
+    open_tcp_server_transport,
+    open_tcp_server_transport_with_socket,
+)
+
+
+class OpenTcpServerTransportTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.patcher = patch('bumble.transport.tcp_server._create_server')
+        self.mock_create_server = self.patcher.start()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.patcher.stop()
+
+    def test_open_with_spec(self):
+        asyncio.run(open_tcp_server_transport('localhost:32100'))
+        self.mock_create_server.assert_awaited_once_with(
+            ANY, host='localhost', port=32100
+        )
+
+    def test_open_with_port_only_spec(self):
+        asyncio.run(open_tcp_server_transport('_:32100'))
+        self.mock_create_server.assert_awaited_once_with(ANY, host=None, port=32100)
+
+    def test_open_with_socket(self):
+        with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as sock:
+            asyncio.run(open_tcp_server_transport_with_socket(sock=sock))
+        self.mock_create_server.assert_awaited_once_with(ANY, sock=sock)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    not os.environ.get('PYTEST_NOSKIP', 0),
+    reason='''\
+Not hermetic. Should only run manually with
+  $ PYTEST_NOSKIP=1 pytest tests
+''',
+)
+def test_open_with_real_socket():
+    with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as sock:
+        sock.bind(('localhost', 0))
+        port = sock.getsockname()[1]
+        assert port != 0
+        asyncio.run(open_tcp_server_transport_with_socket(sock=sock))