diff --git a/internal/core/docker_host.go b/internal/core/docker_host.go
index fc06ea8ad1..73ff0a9776 100644
--- a/internal/core/docker_host.go
+++ b/internal/core/docker_host.go
@@ -298,12 +298,14 @@ func testcontainersHostFromProperties(_ context.Context) (string, error) {
 	cfg := config.Read()
 	testcontainersHost := cfg.TestcontainersHost
 	if testcontainersHost != "" {
-		parsed, err := parseURL(testcontainersHost)
+		// Validate the URL format
+		_, err := parseURL(testcontainersHost)
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", err
 		}
 
-		return parsed, nil
+		// Return the original URL to preserve schema for Docker client
+		return testcontainersHost, nil
 	}
 
 	return "", ErrTestcontainersHostNotSetInProperties
diff --git a/internal/core/docker_host_test.go b/internal/core/docker_host_test.go
index cce55d7f3d..ccd33e52c3 100644
--- a/internal/core/docker_host_test.go
+++ b/internal/core/docker_host_test.go
@@ -177,13 +177,26 @@ func TestExtractDockerHost(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Cleanup(resetSocketOverrideFn)
 
 		t.Run("Testcontainers host is defined in properties", func(t *testing.T) {
-			content := "tc.host=" + testRemoteHost
+			t.Run("TCP host", func(t *testing.T) {
+				content := "tc.host=" + testRemoteHost
 
-			setupTestcontainersProperties(t, content)
+				setupTestcontainersProperties(t, content)
 
-			socket, err := testcontainersHostFromProperties(context.Background())
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-			require.Equal(t, testRemoteHost, socket)
+				socket, err := testcontainersHostFromProperties(context.Background())
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				require.Equal(t, testRemoteHost, socket)
+			})
+
+			t.Run("Unix socket host preserves schema", func(t *testing.T) {
+				unixSocket := "unix:///var/run/docker.sock"
+				content := "tc.host=" + unixSocket
+
+				setupTestcontainersProperties(t, content)
+
+				socket, err := testcontainersHostFromProperties(context.Background())
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				require.Equal(t, unixSocket, socket)
+			})
 		})
 
 		t.Run("Testcontainers host is not defined in properties", func(t *testing.T) {