diff --git a/zellij-server/src/lib.rs b/zellij-server/src/lib.rs
index 34c807f1..bb18912e 100644
--- a/zellij-server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/zellij-server/src/lib.rs
@@ -278,7 +278,10 @@ pub fn start_server(mut os_input: Box<dyn ServerOsApi>, socket_path: PathBuf) {
             move || {
                 drop(std::fs::remove_file(&socket_path));
                 let listener = LocalSocketListener::bind(&*socket_path).unwrap();
-                set_permissions(&socket_path, 0o700).unwrap();
+                // set the sticky bit to avoid the socket file being potentially cleaned up
+                // https://specifications.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html states that for XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:
+                // "To ensure that your files are not removed, they should have their access time timestamp modified at least once every 6 hours of monotonic time or the 'sticky' bit should be set on the file. "
+                set_permissions(&socket_path, 0o1700).unwrap();
                 for stream in listener.incoming() {
                     match stream {
                         Ok(stream) => {