diff --git a/go/cmd/vtgateclienttest/main.go b/go/cmd/vtgateclienttest/main.go
index 4a58a43aa2..f2bdd97dfc 100644
--- a/go/cmd/vtgateclienttest/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/vtgateclienttest/main.go
@@ -27,10 +27,12 @@ func main() {
 	servenv.Init()
 
 	// The implementation chain.
-	s := services.CreateServices()
-	for _, f := range vtgate.RegisterVTGates {
-		f(s)
-	}
+	servenv.OnRun(func() {
+		s := services.CreateServices()
+		for _, f := range vtgate.RegisterVTGates {
+			f(s)
+		}
+	})
 
 	servenv.RunDefault()
 }
diff --git a/go/vt/servenv/grpc_server.go b/go/vt/servenv/grpc_server.go
index 8268a4ffd3..43c940176b 100644
--- a/go/vt/servenv/grpc_server.go
+++ b/go/vt/servenv/grpc_server.go
@@ -47,17 +47,31 @@ var (
 	GRPCServer *grpc.Server
 )
 
+// isGRPCEnabled returns true if gRPC server is set
+func isGRPCEnabled() bool {
+	if GRPCPort != nil && *GRPCPort != 0 {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	if SocketFile != nil && *SocketFile != "" {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 // createGRPCServer create the gRPC server we will be using.
 // It has to be called after flags are parsed, but before
 // services register themselves.
 func createGRPCServer() {
 	// skip if not registered
-	if GRPCPort == nil || *GRPCPort == 0 {
+	if !isGRPCEnabled() {
+		log.Infof("Skipping gRPC server creation")
 		return
 	}
 
 	var opts []grpc.ServerOption
-	if *GRPCCert != "" && *GRPCKey != "" {
+	if GRPCPort != nil && *GRPCCert != "" && *GRPCKey != "" {
 		config := &tls.Config{}
 
 		// load the server cert and key
@@ -120,7 +134,7 @@ func RegisterGRPCFlags() {
 func GRPCCheckServiceMap(name string) bool {
 	// Silently fail individual services if gRPC is not enabled in
 	// the first place (either on a grpc port or on the socket file)
-	if (GRPCPort == nil || *GRPCPort == 0) && (SocketFile == nil || *SocketFile == "") {
+	if !isGRPCEnabled() {
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/go/vt/servenv/run.go b/go/vt/servenv/run.go
index 26a96ff765..3b5f34bfa8 100644
--- a/go/vt/servenv/run.go
+++ b/go/vt/servenv/run.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ func Run(port int) {
 	createGRPCServer()
 	onRunHooks.Fire()
 	serveGRPC()
+	serveSocketFile()
 
 	l, err := proc.Listen(fmt.Sprintf("%v", port))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/go/vt/servenv/unix_socket.go b/go/vt/servenv/unix_socket.go
index f1030ee1d5..03ee83e416 100644
--- a/go/vt/servenv/unix_socket.go
+++ b/go/vt/servenv/unix_socket.go
@@ -13,16 +13,18 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	// The flags used when calling RegisterDefaultSocketFileFlags.
+	// SocketFile has the flag used when calling
+	// RegisterDefaultSocketFileFlags.
 	SocketFile *string
 )
 
 // serveSocketFile listen to the named socket and serves RPCs on it.
-func serveSocketFile(name string) {
-	if name == "" {
+func serveSocketFile() {
+	if SocketFile == nil || *SocketFile == "" {
 		log.Infof("Not listening on socket file")
 		return
 	}
+	name := *SocketFile
 
 	// try to delete if file exists
 	if _, err := os.Stat(name); err == nil {
@@ -41,12 +43,7 @@ func serveSocketFile(name string) {
 }
 
 // RegisterDefaultSocketFileFlags registers the default flags for listening
-// to a socket. It also registers an OnRun callback to enable the listening
-// socket.
-// This needs to be called before flags are parsed.
+// to a socket. This needs to be called before flags are parsed.
 func RegisterDefaultSocketFileFlags() {
 	SocketFile = flag.String("socket_file", "", "Local unix socket file to listen on")
-	OnRun(func() {
-		serveSocketFile(*SocketFile)
-	})
 }
diff --git a/test/tablet.py b/test/tablet.py
index 7e2ba5e1ad..81da188e5c 100644
--- a/test/tablet.py
+++ b/test/tablet.py
@@ -597,11 +597,15 @@ class Tablet(object):
     mysql_sock = os.path.join(self.tablet_dir, 'mysql.sock')
     mysqlctl_sock = os.path.join(self.tablet_dir, 'mysqlctl.sock')
     while True:
-      if os.path.exists(mysql_sock) and os.path.exists(mysqlctl_sock):
+      wait_for = []
+      if not os.path.exists(mysql_sock):
+        wait_for.append(mysql_sock)
+      if not os.path.exists(mysqlctl_sock):
+        wait_for.append(mysqlctl_sock)
+      if not wait_for:
         return
-      timeout = utils.wait_step(
-          'waiting for mysql and mysqlctl socket files: %s %s' %
-          (mysql_sock, mysqlctl_sock), timeout)
+      timeout = utils.wait_step('waiting for socket files: %s' % str(wait_for),
+                                timeout, sleep_time=2.0)
 
   def _add_dbconfigs(self, args, repl_extra_flags=None):
     if repl_extra_flags is None: