diff --git a/lib/XMonad/Internal/Command/Desktop.hs b/lib/XMonad/Internal/Command/Desktop.hs
index b9d4fe6..6b93a3d 100644
--- a/lib/XMonad/Internal/Command/Desktop.hs
+++ b/lib/XMonad/Internal/Command/Desktop.hs
@@ -128,8 +128,7 @@ runEditor = sometimesIO_ "text editor" "emacs" tree cmd
   where
     cmd = spawnCmd myEditor
       ["-c", "-e", doubleQuote "(select-frame-set-input-focus (selected-frame))"]
-    tree = toAnd_ (sysExe myEditor) (socketExists "emacs" socketName)
-    socketName = (</> "emacs" </> "server") <$> getEnv "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"
+    tree = Only_ $ sysExe myEditor
 
 runFileManager :: SometimesX
 runFileManager = sometimesExe "file browser" "pcmanfm" True "pcmanfm"
diff --git a/lib/XMonad/Internal/Dependency.hs b/lib/XMonad/Internal/Dependency.hs
index 5fdd66b..de70393 100644
--- a/lib/XMonad/Internal/Dependency.hs
+++ b/lib/XMonad/Internal/Dependency.hs
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ import           Data.Maybe
 import           Data.Yaml
 
 import           GHC.Generics            (Generic)
+import           GHC.IO.Exception        (ioe_description)
 
 import           DBus                    hiding (typeOf)
 import           DBus.Client
@@ -780,12 +781,10 @@ socketExists n = IOTest_ ("test if " ++ n ++ " socket exists") . socketExists'
 socketExists' :: IO FilePath -> IO (Maybe Msg)
 socketExists' getPath = do
   p <- getPath
-  e <- fileExist p
-  s <- isSocket <$> getFileStatus p
-  return $ case (e, s) of
-    (True, True) -> Nothing
-    (False, _)   -> toErr $ "could not find socket at " ++ p
-    (_, False)   -> toErr $ p ++ " is not a socket"
+  r <- tryIOError $ getFileStatus p
+  return $ case r of
+    Left e  -> toErr $ ioe_description e
+    Right s -> if isSocket s then Nothing else toErr $ p ++ " is not a socket"
   where
     toErr = Just . Msg Error