diff --git a/go/mysql/conn.go b/go/mysql/conn.go
index d61549c92ef..9164e658111 100644
--- a/go/mysql/conn.go
+++ b/go/mysql/conn.go
@@ -1624,12 +1624,18 @@ func (c *Conn) TLSEnabled() bool {
 	return c.Capabilities&CapabilityClientSSL > 0
 }
 
-// IsUnixSocket returns true if this connection is over a Unix socket.
+// IsUnixSocket returns true if the server connection is over a Unix socket.
 func (c *Conn) IsUnixSocket() bool {
 	_, ok := c.listener.listener.(*net.UnixListener)
 	return ok
 }
 
+// IsClientUnixSocket returns true if the client connection is over a Unix socket with the server.
+func (c *Conn) IsClientUnixSocket() bool {
+	_, ok := c.conn.(*net.UnixConn)
+	return ok
+}
+
 // GetRawConn returns the raw net.Conn for nefarious purposes.
 func (c *Conn) GetRawConn() net.Conn {
 	return c.conn
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/connecttcp/main_test.go b/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/connecttcp/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9d52b1287a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/connecttcp/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 The Vitess Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package connecttcp
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/mysql"
+	vttestpb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/vttest"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/framework"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/tabletenv"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vttest"
+)
+
+var (
+	connParams         mysql.ConnParams
+	connAppDebugParams mysql.ConnParams
+)
+
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	flag.Parse() // Do not remove this comment, import into google3 depends on it
+	tabletenv.Init()
+
+	exitCode := func() int {
+		// Launch MySQL.
+		// We need a Keyspace in the topology, so the DbName is set.
+		// We need a Shard too, so the database 'vttest' is created.
+		cfg := vttest.Config{
+			Topology: &vttestpb.VTTestTopology{
+				Keyspaces: []*vttestpb.Keyspace{
+					{
+						Name: "vttest",
+						Shards: []*vttestpb.Shard{
+							{
+								Name:           "0",
+								DbNameOverride: "vttest",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			OnlyMySQL: true,
+			Charset:   "utf8mb4_general_ci",
+		}
+		if err := cfg.InitSchemas("vttest", testSchema, nil); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "InitSchemas failed: %v\n", err)
+			return 1
+		}
+		defer os.RemoveAll(cfg.SchemaDir)
+		cluster := vttest.LocalCluster{
+			Config: cfg,
+		}
+		if err := cluster.Setup(); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "could not launch mysql: %v\n", err)
+			return 1
+		}
+		defer cluster.TearDown()
+
+		if err := allowConnectOnTCP(cluster); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to allow tcp priviliges: %v", err)
+			return 1
+		}
+
+		connParams = cluster.MySQLTCPConnParams()
+		connAppDebugParams = cluster.MySQLAppDebugConnParams()
+
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		defer cancel()
+
+		config := tabletenv.NewDefaultConfig()
+		config.TwoPCEnable = true
+		config.TwoPCAbandonAge = 1
+
+		if err := framework.StartCustomServer(ctx, connParams, connAppDebugParams, cluster.DbName(), config); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%v", err)
+			return 1
+		}
+		defer framework.StopServer()
+
+		return m.Run()
+	}()
+	os.Exit(exitCode)
+}
+
+func allowConnectOnTCP(cluster vttest.LocalCluster) error {
+	connParams = cluster.MySQLConnParams()
+	conn, err := mysql.Connect(context.Background(), &connParams)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, err = conn.ExecuteFetch("UPDATE mysql.user SET Host = '%' WHERE User = 'vt_dba';", 0, false); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, err = conn.ExecuteFetch("FLUSH PRIVILEGES;", 0, false); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	conn.Close()
+	return nil
+}
+
+var testSchema = `create table vitess_test(intval int primary key);`
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/connecttcp/prepare_test.go b/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/connecttcp/prepare_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..524b4a3dcc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/connecttcp/prepare_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 The Vitess Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package connecttcp
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vttablet/endtoend/framework"
+)
+
+// TestPrepareOnTCP tests that a prepare statement is not allowed on a network connection.
+func TestPrepareOnTCP(t *testing.T) {
+	client := framework.NewClient()
+
+	query := "insert into vitess_test (intval) values(4)"
+
+	err := client.Begin(false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = client.Execute(query, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = client.Prepare("aa")
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "VT10002: atomic distributed transaction not allowed: cannot prepare the transaction on a network connection")
+}
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/connpool/dbconn.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/connpool/dbconn.go
index af8c5fbc78e..61816b16d08 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/connpool/dbconn.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/connpool/dbconn.go
@@ -598,3 +598,7 @@ func (dbc *Conn) applySameSetting(ctx context.Context) error {
 	_, err := dbc.execOnce(ctx, dbc.setting.ApplyQuery(), 1, false, false)
 	return err
 }
+
+func (dbc *Conn) IsUnixSocket() bool {
+	return dbc.conn.IsClientUnixSocket()
+}
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/dt_executor.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/dt_executor.go
index 9ddca3247a3..1fd1df12d56 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/dt_executor.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/dt_executor.go
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ func (dte *DTExecutor) Prepare(transactionID int64, dtid string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	// We can only prepare on a Unix socket connection.
+	// Unix socket are reliable and we can be sure that the connection is not lost with the server after prepare.
+	if !conn.IsUnixSocket() {
+		dte.te.txPool.RollbackAndRelease(dte.ctx, conn)
+		return vterrors.VT10002("cannot prepare the transaction on a network connection")
+	}
+
 	// If the connection is tainted, we cannot prepare it. As there could be temporary tables involved.
 	if conn.IsTainted() {
 		dte.te.txPool.RollbackAndRelease(dte.ctx, conn)
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/stateful_connection.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/stateful_connection.go
index 067f2194655..9b34cfce737 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/stateful_connection.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/stateful_connection.go
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func (sc *StatefulConnection) IsTainted() bool {
 // LogTransaction logs transaction related stats
 func (sc *StatefulConnection) LogTransaction(reason tx.ReleaseReason) {
 	if sc.txProps == nil {
-		return //Nothing to log as no transaction exists on this connection.
+		return // Nothing to log as no transaction exists on this connection.
 	}
 	sc.txProps.Conclusion = reason.Name()
 	sc.txProps.EndTime = time.Now()
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ func (sc *StatefulConnection) SetTimeout(timeout time.Duration) {
 // logReservedConn logs reserved connection related stats.
 func (sc *StatefulConnection) logReservedConn() {
 	if sc.reservedProps == nil {
-		return //Nothing to log as this connection is not reserved.
+		return // Nothing to log as this connection is not reserved.
 	}
 	duration := time.Since(sc.reservedProps.StartTime)
 	username := sc.getUsername()
@@ -315,3 +315,8 @@ func (sc *StatefulConnection) ApplySetting(ctx context.Context, setting *smartco
 func (sc *StatefulConnection) resetExpiryTime() {
 	sc.expiryTime = time.Now().Add(sc.timeout)
 }
+
+// IsUnixSocket returns true if the connection is using a unix socket
+func (sc *StatefulConnection) IsUnixSocket() bool {
+	return sc.dbConn.Conn.IsUnixSocket()
+}
diff --git a/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go b/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go
index 406269ef749..576a78bb761 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go
@@ -292,6 +292,15 @@ func (db *LocalCluster) MySQLConnParams() mysql.ConnParams {
 	return connParams
 }
 
+func (db *LocalCluster) MySQLTCPConnParams() mysql.ConnParams {
+	connParams := db.mysql.Params(db.DbName())
+	_, port := db.mysql.Address()
+	connParams.UnixSocket = ""
+	connParams.Host = "127.0.0.1"
+	connParams.Port = port
+	return connParams
+}
+
 // MySQLAppDebugConnParams returns a mysql.ConnParams struct that can be used
 // to connect directly to the mysqld service in the self-contained cluster,
 // using the appdebug user. It's valid only if you used MySQLOnly option.