diff --git a/net/local/local.h b/net/local/local.h
index 1733d1ffcbb..6b57249f842 100644
--- a/net/local/local.h
+++ b/net/local/local.h
@@ -281,6 +281,21 @@ void local_subref(FAR struct local_conn_s *conn);
 
 FAR struct local_conn_s *local_nextconn(FAR struct local_conn_s *conn);
 
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: local_findconn
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Traverse the connections list to find the server
+ *
+ * Assumptions:
+ *   This function must be called with the network locked.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+FAR struct local_conn_s *
+local_findconn(FAR const struct local_conn_s *conn,
+               FAR const struct sockaddr_un *unaddr);
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Name: local_peerconn
  *
diff --git a/net/local/local_bind.c b/net/local/local_bind.c
index a2d64895806..627b6eee5ca 100644
--- a/net/local/local_bind.c
+++ b/net/local/local_bind.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ int psock_local_bind(FAR struct socket *psock,
   FAR struct local_conn_s *conn = psock->s_conn;
   FAR const struct sockaddr_un *unaddr =
     (FAR const struct sockaddr_un *)addr;
+  int index;
 
   DEBUGASSERT(unaddr->sun_family == AF_LOCAL);
 
@@ -59,6 +60,15 @@ int psock_local_bind(FAR struct socket *psock,
       return -EINVAL;
     }
 
+  conn = psock->s_conn;
+
+  /* Check if local address is already in use */
+
+  if (local_findconn(conn, unaddr) != NULL)
+    {
+      return -EADDRINUSE;
+    }
+
   /* Save the address family */
 
   conn->lc_instance_id = -1;
@@ -72,22 +82,18 @@ int psock_local_bind(FAR struct socket *psock,
       /* Zero-length sun_path... This is an abstract Unix domain socket */
 
       conn->lc_type = LOCAL_TYPE_ABSTRACT;
-
-      /* Copy the path into the connection structure */
-
-      strlcpy(conn->lc_path, &unaddr->sun_path[1], sizeof(conn->lc_path));
+      index = 1;
     }
   else
     {
       /* This is an normal, pathname Unix domain socket */
 
       conn->lc_type = LOCAL_TYPE_PATHNAME;
-
-      /* Copy the path into the connection structure */
-
-      strlcpy(conn->lc_path, unaddr->sun_path, sizeof(conn->lc_path));
+      index = 0;
     }
 
+  strlcpy(conn->lc_path, &unaddr->sun_path[index], sizeof(conn->lc_path));
+
   conn->lc_state = LOCAL_STATE_BOUND;
   return OK;
 }
diff --git a/net/local/local_conn.c b/net/local/local_conn.c
index 55e82899ff6..acb6f80fe03 100644
--- a/net/local/local_conn.c
+++ b/net/local/local_conn.c
@@ -68,6 +68,38 @@ FAR struct local_conn_s *local_nextconn(FAR struct local_conn_s *conn)
   return (FAR struct local_conn_s *)conn->lc_conn.node.flink;
 }
 
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: local_findconn
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Traverse the connections list to find the local connection
+ *
+ * Assumptions:
+ *   This function must be called with the network locked.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+FAR struct local_conn_s *
+local_findconn(FAR const struct local_conn_s *local_conn,
+               FAR const struct sockaddr_un *unaddr)
+{
+  FAR struct local_conn_s *conn = NULL;
+
+  int index = unaddr->sun_path[0] == '\0' ? 1 : 0;
+
+  while ((conn = local_nextconn(conn)) != NULL)
+    {
+      if (local_conn->lc_proto == conn->lc_proto &&
+          strncmp(conn->lc_path, &unaddr->sun_path[index],
+                  UNIX_PATH_MAX - 1) == 0)
+        {
+          return conn;
+        }
+    }
+
+  return NULL;
+}
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Name: local_peerconn
  *
diff --git a/net/local/local_sendmsg.c b/net/local/local_sendmsg.c
index 0ae6c5719fb..81dad3e576a 100644
--- a/net/local/local_sendmsg.c
+++ b/net/local/local_sendmsg.c
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ static ssize_t local_sendto(FAR struct socket *psock,
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_LOCAL_DGRAM
   FAR struct local_conn_s *conn = psock->s_conn;
-  FAR struct sockaddr_un *unaddr = (FAR struct sockaddr_un *)to;
+  FAR const struct sockaddr_un *unaddr = (FAR const struct sockaddr_un *)to;
   ssize_t ret;
 
   /* Verify that a valid address has been provided */
@@ -296,6 +296,12 @@ static ssize_t local_sendto(FAR struct socket *psock,
       return -EISCONN;
     }
 
+  if (local_findconn(conn, unaddr) == NULL)
+    {
+      nerr("ERROR: No such file or directory\n");
+      return -ENOENT;
+    }
+
   /* The outgoing FIFO should not be open */
 
   DEBUGASSERT(conn->lc_outfile.f_inode == NULL);