diff --git a/i3bar/src/main.c b/i3bar/src/main.c
index 26ea0eeb..aa6bdbea 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/main.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/main.c
@@ -92,13 +92,7 @@ static 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 = getenv("I3SOCK");
-    if (socket_path != NULL) {
-        socket_path = sstrdup(socket_path);
-    }
-    char *i3_default_sock_path = "/tmp/i3-ipc.sock";
+    char *socket_path = NULL;
 
     /* Initialize the standard config to use 0 as default */
     memset(&config, '\0', sizeof(config_t));
@@ -112,6 +106,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         {"verbose", no_argument, 0, 'V'},
         {NULL, 0, 0, 0}};
 
+    int opt;
+    int option_index = 0;
     while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "b:s:thvV", long_opt, &option_index)) != -1) {
         switch (opt) {
             case 's':
@@ -144,10 +140,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    main_loop = ev_default_loop(0);
-
+    main_loop = ev_default_loop(0); /* needed in init_xcb_early */
     char *atom_sock_path = init_xcb_early();
 
+    /* Select a socket_path if the user hasn't specified one */
+    if (socket_path == NULL) {
+        socket_path = getenv("I3SOCK");
+        if (socket_path != NULL) {
+            socket_path = sstrdup(socket_path);
+        }
+    }
+
     if (socket_path == NULL) {
         socket_path = atom_sock_path;
     } else {
@@ -155,8 +158,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     }
 
     if (socket_path == NULL) {
+        char *i3_default_sock_path = "/tmp/i3-ipc.sock";
         ELOG("No socket path specified, default to %s\n", i3_default_sock_path);
-        socket_path = expand_path(i3_default_sock_path);
+        socket_path = sstrdup(i3_default_sock_path);
     }
 
     init_dpi();