diff --git a/i3bar/doc/i3bar.man b/i3bar/doc/i3bar.man
index 9ee7f7ce..d446143c 100644
--- a/i3bar/doc/i3bar.man
+++ b/i3bar/doc/i3bar.man
@@ -54,6 +54,14 @@ For each specified option you need to give a HEX-colorcode.
 
 Be advised that this command-line-options are only temporary and are very likely to be removed, when we finally have a config-file.
 
+== ENVIRONMENT
+
+=== I3SOCK
+
+If no ipc-socket is specified on the commandline, this variable is used
+to determine the path, at wich the unix domain socket is expected, on which
+to connect to i3.
+
 == EXAMPLES
 
 To get a docked bar with some statusinformation, you use
diff --git a/i3bar/src/main.c b/i3bar/src/main.c
index fce7fc29..c0e07a22 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/main.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/main.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ void sig_cb(struct ev_loop *loop, ev_signal *watcher, int revents) {
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     int opt;
     int option_index = 0;
-    char *socket_path = NULL;
+    char *socket_path = getenv("I3SOCK");
     char *command = NULL;
     char *fontname = NULL;
     char *i3_default_sock_path = "~/.i3/ipc.sock";
@@ -247,8 +247,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
     kill_child();
 
-    FREE(socket_path);
-
     FREE(statusline_buffer);
 
     clean_xcb();