diff --git a/doc/api/net.markdown b/doc/api/net.markdown
index ee7e487ca91770..08f27a57a5649d 100644
--- a/doc/api/net.markdown
+++ b/doc/api/net.markdown
@@ -533,6 +533,11 @@ client connects on `'192.168.1.1'`, the value would be `'192.168.1.1'`.
 For UNIX sockets and Windows pipes, the file path the socket is listening
 on.  The local address for client sockets is always `''`, the empty string.
 
+### socket.localFamily
+
+The string representation of the local IP family. `'IPv4'` or `'IPv6'`
+for TCP sockets, `'pipe'` for UNIX sockets and Windows pipes.
+
 ### socket.localPort
 
 The numeric representation of the local port. For example, `80` or `21`.
diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index c3ccebb6423f66..bd64b49ee75773 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -606,6 +606,9 @@ Socket.prototype.__defineGetter__('localAddress', function() {
   return this._getsockname().address;
 });
 
+Socket.prototype.__defineGetter__('localFamily', function() {
+  return this._getsockname().family;
+});
 
 Socket.prototype.__defineGetter__('localPort', function() {
   return this._getsockname().port;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-cluster-http-pipe.js b/test/parallel/test-cluster-http-pipe.js
index f4ee5c240e6854..0aae9b6b4409bb 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-cluster-http-pipe.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-cluster-http-pipe.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ http.createServer(function(req, res) {
   assert.equal(req.connection.remoteFamily, 'pipe');
   assert.equal(req.connection.remotePort, undefined);
   assert.equal(req.connection.localAddress, common.PIPE);
+  assert.equal(req.connection.localFamily, 'pipe');
   assert.equal(req.connection.localPort, undefined);
   res.writeHead(200);
   res.end('OK');