diff --git a/doc/lua-api/index.rst b/doc/lua-api/index.rst
index dceab01d7..7fe609fc9 100644
--- a/doc/lua-api/index.rst
+++ b/doc/lua-api/index.rst
@@ -1769,7 +1769,7 @@ Socket class
   "abns@", and finaly a filedescriotr can be passed with the prefix "fd@".
   The prefix "ipv4@", "ipv6@" and "unix@" are also supported. The port can be
   passed int the string. The syntax "127.0.0.1:1234" is valid. in this case, the
-  parameter *port* is ignored.
+  parameter *port* must not be set.
 
 .. js:function:: Socket.connect_ssl(socket, address, port)
 
diff --git a/src/hlua.c b/src/hlua.c
index 3b4fc3b54..3d5a81cac 100644
--- a/src/hlua.c
+++ b/src/hlua.c
@@ -2333,9 +2333,22 @@ __LJMP static int hlua_socket_connect(struct lua_State *L)
 		WILL_LJMP(luaL_error(L, "connect: cannot use socket on other thread"));
 
 	ip      = MAY_LJMP(luaL_checkstring(L, 2));
-	if (lua_gettop(L) >= 3)
+	if (lua_gettop(L) >= 3) {
+		luaL_Buffer b;
 		port = MAY_LJMP(luaL_checkinteger(L, 3));
 
+		/* Force the ip to end with a colon, to support IPv6 addresses
+		 * that are not enclosed within square brackets.
+		 */
+		if (port > 0) {
+			luaL_buffinit(L, &b);
+			luaL_addstring(&b, ip);
+			luaL_addchar(&b, ':');
+			luaL_pushresult(&b);
+			ip = lua_tolstring(L, lua_gettop(L), NULL);
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* check for connection break. If some data where read, return it. */
 	peer = xref_get_peer_and_lock(&socket->xref);
 	if (!peer) {