diff --git a/src/nc_proxy.c b/src/nc_proxy.c
index 38cdd9e6..132deb96 100644
--- a/src/nc_proxy.c
+++ b/src/nc_proxy.c
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ proxy_listen(struct context *ctx, struct conn *p)
 
     ASSERT(p->proxy);
 
-    p->sd = socket(p->family, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+    p->sd = socket(p->family, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_NONBLOCK, 0);
     if (p->sd < 0) {
         log_error("socket failed: %s", strerror(errno));
         return NC_ERROR;
@@ -166,13 +166,6 @@ proxy_listen(struct context *ctx, struct conn *p)
         return NC_ERROR;
     }
 
-    status = nc_set_nonblocking(p->sd);
-    if (status < 0) {
-        log_error("set nonblock on p %d on addr '%.*s' failed: %s", p->sd,
-                  pool->addrstr.len, pool->addrstr.data, strerror(errno));
-        return NC_ERROR;
-    }
-
     status = event_add_conn(ctx->evb, p);
     if (status < 0) {
         log_error("event add conn p %d on addr '%.*s' failed: %s",
diff --git a/src/nc_server.c b/src/nc_server.c
index dab6a79b..c2a15c7d 100644
--- a/src/nc_server.c
+++ b/src/nc_server.c
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ server_connect(struct context *ctx, struct server *server, struct conn *conn)
     log_debug(LOG_VVERB, "connect to server '%.*s'", server->pname.len,
               server->pname.data);
 
-    conn->sd = socket(conn->family, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+    conn->sd = socket(conn->family, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_NONBLOCK, 0);
     if (conn->sd < 0) {
         log_error("socket for server '%.*s' failed: %s", server->pname.len,
                   server->pname.data, strerror(errno));
@@ -491,14 +491,6 @@ server_connect(struct context *ctx, struct server *server, struct conn *conn)
         goto error;
     }
 
-    status = nc_set_nonblocking(conn->sd);
-    if (status != NC_OK) {
-        log_error("set nonblock on s %d for server '%.*s' failed: %s",
-                  conn->sd, server->pname.len, server->pname.data,
-                  strerror(errno));
-        goto error;
-    }
-
     if (server->pname.data[0] != '/') {
         status = nc_set_tcpnodelay(conn->sd);
         if (status != NC_OK) {