diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cc880094592..abac26e6609 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ $(ABE_EXAMPLE_SRCS): $(ABE_EXAMPLE_SPEC)
 examples: $(EXAMPLE_SVCSRCS) $(EXAMPLE_GWSRCS) $(EXAMPLE_DEPSRCS) $(EXAMPLE_SWAGGERSRCS) $(EXAMPLE_CLIENT_SRCS)
 test: examples
 	go test -race $(PKG)/...
+	go test -race $(PKG)/examples -args -network=unix -endpoint=test.sock
 
 lint:
 	golint --set_exit_status $(PKG)/runtime
diff --git a/examples/BUILD.bazel b/examples/BUILD.bazel
index 41a853217c7..5ca5fa4ae2e 100644
--- a/examples/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/examples/BUILD.bazel
@@ -7,10 +7,9 @@ go_library(
     srcs = ["main.go"],
     importpath = "github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/examples",
     deps = [
-        "//examples/examplepb:go_default_library",
+        "//examples/gateway:go_default_library",
         "//runtime:go_default_library",
         "@com_github_golang_glog//:go_default_library",
-        "@org_golang_google_grpc//:go_default_library",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/examples/gateway/BUILD.bazel b/examples/gateway/BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6aefb52a02b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/gateway/BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library")
+
+go_library(
+    name = "go_default_library",
+    srcs = ["gateway.go"],
+    importpath = "github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/examples/gateway",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+    deps = [
+        "//examples/examplepb:go_default_library",
+        "//runtime:go_default_library",
+        "@org_golang_google_grpc//:go_default_library",
+    ],
+)
diff --git a/examples/gateway/gateway.go b/examples/gateway/gateway.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cc503dd2814
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+package gateway
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/examples/examplepb"
+	gwruntime "github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/runtime"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+)
+
+type optSet struct {
+	mux  []gwruntime.ServeMuxOption
+	dial []grpc.DialOption
+
+	echoEndpoint, abeEndpoint, flowEndpoint string
+}
+
+// newGateway returns a new gateway server which translates HTTP into gRPC.
+func newGateway(ctx context.Context, opts optSet) (http.Handler, error) {
+	mux := gwruntime.NewServeMux(opts.mux...)
+
+	err := examplepb.RegisterEchoServiceHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, opts.echoEndpoint, opts.dial)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	err = examplepb.RegisterStreamServiceHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, opts.abeEndpoint, opts.dial)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	err = examplepb.RegisterABitOfEverythingServiceHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, opts.abeEndpoint, opts.dial)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	err = examplepb.RegisterFlowCombinationHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, opts.flowEndpoint, opts.dial)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return mux, nil
+}
+
+// NewTCPGateway returns a new gateway server which connect to the gRPC service with TCP.
+// "addr" must be a valid TCP address with a port number.
+func NewTCPGateway(ctx context.Context, addr string, opts ...gwruntime.ServeMuxOption) (http.Handler, error) {
+	return newGateway(ctx, optSet{
+		mux:          opts,
+		dial:         []grpc.DialOption{grpc.WithInsecure()},
+		echoEndpoint: addr,
+		abeEndpoint:  addr,
+		flowEndpoint: addr,
+	})
+}
+
+// NewUnixGatway returns a new gateway server which connect to the gRPC service with a unix domain socket.
+// "addr" must be a valid path to the socket.
+func NewUnixGateway(ctx context.Context, addr string, opts ...gwruntime.ServeMuxOption) (http.Handler, error) {
+	return newGateway(ctx, optSet{
+		mux: opts,
+		dial: []grpc.DialOption{
+			grpc.WithInsecure(),
+			grpc.WithDialer(func(addr string, timeout time.Duration) (net.Conn, error) {
+				return net.DialTimeout("unix", addr, timeout)
+			}),
+		},
+		echoEndpoint: addr,
+		abeEndpoint:  addr,
+		flowEndpoint: addr,
+	})
+}
diff --git a/examples/main.go b/examples/main.go
index 19945df3d3c..bb2b55614da 100644
--- a/examples/main.go
+++ b/examples/main.go
@@ -1,49 +1,24 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"flag"
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 
-	"context"
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
-	"github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/examples/examplepb"
+	"github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/examples/gateway"
 	"github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/runtime"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 )
 
 var (
-	echoEndpoint = flag.String("echo_endpoint", "localhost:9090", "endpoint of EchoService")
-	abeEndpoint  = flag.String("more_endpoint", "localhost:9090", "endpoint of ABitOfEverythingService")
-	flowEndpoint = flag.String("flow_endpoint", "localhost:9090", "endpoint of FlowCombination")
-
+	endpoint   = flag.String("endpoint", "localhost:9090", "endpoint of the gRPC service")
+	network    = flag.String("network", "tcp", `one of "tcp" or "unix". Must be consistent to -endpoint`)
 	swaggerDir = flag.String("swagger_dir", "examples/examplepb", "path to the directory which contains swagger definitions")
 )
 
-// newGateway returns a new gateway server which translates HTTP into gRPC.
-func newGateway(ctx context.Context, opts ...runtime.ServeMuxOption) (http.Handler, error) {
-	mux := runtime.NewServeMux(opts...)
-	dialOpts := []grpc.DialOption{grpc.WithInsecure()}
-	err := examplepb.RegisterEchoServiceHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, *echoEndpoint, dialOpts)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	err = examplepb.RegisterStreamServiceHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, *abeEndpoint, dialOpts)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	err = examplepb.RegisterABitOfEverythingServiceHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, *abeEndpoint, dialOpts)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	err = examplepb.RegisterFlowCombinationHandlerFromEndpoint(ctx, mux, *flowEndpoint, dialOpts)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return mux, nil
-}
-
 func serveSwagger(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if !strings.HasSuffix(r.URL.Path, ".swagger.json") {
 		glog.Errorf("Not Found: %s", r.URL.Path)
@@ -81,6 +56,17 @@ func preflightHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	return
 }
 
+func newGateway(ctx context.Context, opts ...runtime.ServeMuxOption) (http.Handler, error) {
+	switch *network {
+	case "tcp":
+		return gateway.NewTCPGateway(ctx, *endpoint, opts...)
+	case "unix":
+		return gateway.NewUnixGateway(ctx, *endpoint, opts...)
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported network type %q:", *network)
+	}
+}
+
 // Run starts a HTTP server and blocks forever if successful.
 func Run(ctx context.Context, address string, opts ...runtime.ServeMuxOption) error {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
diff --git a/examples/main_test.go b/examples/main_test.go
index 9dfdd2dbe63..9c98c6f7a4e 100644
--- a/examples/main_test.go
+++ b/examples/main_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 func runServers(ctx context.Context) <-chan error {
 	ch := make(chan error, 2)
 	go func() {
-		if err := server.Run(ctx); err != nil {
+		if err := server.Run(ctx, *network, *endpoint); err != nil {
 			ch <- fmt.Errorf("cannot run grpc service: %v", err)
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/examples/server/cmd/example-server/main.go b/examples/server/cmd/example-server/main.go
index fc1763c04ea..31e182c4b12 100644
--- a/examples/server/cmd/example-server/main.go
+++ b/examples/server/cmd/example-server/main.go
@@ -8,12 +8,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/examples/server"
 )
 
+var (
+	addr    = flag.String("addr", ":9090", "endpoint of the gRPC service")
+	network = flag.String("network", "tcp", "a valid network type which is consistent to -addr")
+)
+
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
 	defer glog.Flush()
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	if err := server.Run(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err := server.Run(ctx, *network, *addr); err != nil {
 		glog.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/examples/server/main.go b/examples/server/main.go
index 88f4df0f611..a24f16b7cab 100644
--- a/examples/server/main.go
+++ b/examples/server/main.go
@@ -10,14 +10,15 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Run starts the example gRPC service.
-func Run(ctx context.Context) error {
-	l, err := net.Listen("tcp", ":9090")
+// "network" and "address" are passed to net.Listen.
+func Run(ctx context.Context, network, address string) error {
+	l, err := net.Listen(network, address)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer func() {
 		if err := l.Close(); err != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("Failed to close tcp :9090: %v", err)
+			glog.Errorf("Failed to close %s %s: %v", network, address, err)
 		}
 	}()