diff --git a/weed/admin/dash/worker_grpc_server.go b/weed/admin/dash/worker_grpc_server.go
index 98c41362a..71cba85cd 100644
--- a/weed/admin/dash/worker_grpc_server.go
+++ b/weed/admin/dash/worker_grpc_server.go
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ func (s *WorkerGrpcServer) StartWithTLS(port int) error {
 	go s.cleanupRoutine()
 	go s.activeLogFetchLoop()
 
+	pb.ServeGrpcOnLocalSocket(grpcServer, port)
+
 	// Start serving in a goroutine
 	go func() {
 		if err := s.grpcServer.Serve(listener); err != nil {
diff --git a/weed/command/filer.go b/weed/command/filer.go
index e76759907..d6a990ebd 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer.go
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ func (fo *FilerOptions) startFiler() {
 		go grpcS.Serve(grpcLocalL)
 	}
 	go grpcS.Serve(grpcL)
+	pb.ServeGrpcOnLocalSocket(grpcS, grpcPort)
 
 	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
 		localSocket := *fo.localSocket
diff --git a/weed/command/master.go b/weed/command/master.go
index dd880acd4..ad81fe7a0 100644
--- a/weed/command/master.go
+++ b/weed/command/master.go
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ func startMaster(masterOption MasterOptions, masterWhiteList []string) {
 		go grpcS.Serve(grpcLocalL)
 	}
 	go grpcS.Serve(grpcL)
+	pb.ServeGrpcOnLocalSocket(grpcS, grpcPort)
 
 	// For multi-master mode with non-Hashicorp raft, wait and check if we should join
 	if !*masterOption.raftHashicorp && !isSingleMaster {
diff --git a/weed/command/mini.go b/weed/command/mini.go
index 6c83c7788..b5a3bd367 100644
--- a/weed/command/mini.go
+++ b/weed/command/mini.go
@@ -823,6 +823,16 @@ func runMini(cmd *Command, args []string) bool {
 	miniS3Options.filer = &filerAddress
 	miniWebDavOptions.filer = &filerAddress
 
+	// Register Unix socket paths for gRPC services so local inter-service
+	// communication goes through Unix sockets instead of TCP.
+	pb.RegisterLocalGrpcSocket(*miniMasterOptions.portGrpc, fmt.Sprintf("/tmp/seaweedfs-master-grpc-%d.sock", *miniMasterOptions.portGrpc))
+	pb.RegisterLocalGrpcSocket(*miniOptions.v.portGrpc, fmt.Sprintf("/tmp/seaweedfs-volume-grpc-%d.sock", *miniOptions.v.portGrpc))
+	pb.RegisterLocalGrpcSocket(*miniFilerOptions.portGrpc, fmt.Sprintf("/tmp/seaweedfs-filer-grpc-%d.sock", *miniFilerOptions.portGrpc))
+	if *miniS3Options.portGrpc > 0 {
+		pb.RegisterLocalGrpcSocket(*miniS3Options.portGrpc, fmt.Sprintf("/tmp/seaweedfs-s3-grpc-%d.sock", *miniS3Options.portGrpc))
+	}
+	pb.RegisterLocalGrpcSocket(*miniAdminOptions.grpcPort, fmt.Sprintf("/tmp/seaweedfs-admin-grpc-%d.sock", *miniAdminOptions.grpcPort))
+
 	go stats_collect.StartMetricsServer(*miniMetricsHttpIp, *miniMetricsHttpPort)
 
 	if *miniMasterOptions.volumeSizeLimitMB > util.VolumeSizeLimitGB*1000 {
diff --git a/weed/command/s3.go b/weed/command/s3.go
index cf4900654..081e84f13 100644
--- a/weed/command/s3.go
+++ b/weed/command/s3.go
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ func (s3opt *S3Options) startS3Server() bool {
 		go grpcS.Serve(grpcLocalL)
 	}
 	go grpcS.Serve(grpcL)
+	pb.ServeGrpcOnLocalSocket(grpcS, grpcPort)
 
 	if *s3opt.tlsPrivateKey != "" {
 		// Check for port conflict when both HTTP and HTTPS are enabled on the same port
diff --git a/weed/command/volume.go b/weed/command/volume.go
index 3d9f4ce71..aa456a0ad 100644
--- a/weed/command/volume.go
+++ b/weed/command/volume.go
@@ -415,6 +415,7 @@ func (v VolumeServerOptions) startGrpcService(vs volume_server_pb.VolumeServerSe
 			glog.Fatalf("start gRPC service failed, %s", err)
 		}
 	}()
+	pb.ServeGrpcOnLocalSocket(grpcS, grpcPort)
 	return grpcS
 }
 
diff --git a/weed/pb/grpc_client_server.go b/weed/pb/grpc_client_server.go
index a1356d9d3..4b7c0852d 100644
--- a/weed/pb/grpc_client_server.go
+++ b/weed/pb/grpc_client_server.go
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand/v2"
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -42,6 +44,12 @@ var (
 	// cache grpc connections
 	grpcClients     = make(map[string]*versionedGrpcClient)
 	grpcClientsLock sync.Mutex
+
+	// localGrpcSockets maps gRPC port numbers to Unix socket paths.
+	// When registered (by mini mode), gRPC clients connect via Unix socket
+	// instead of TCP for local services.
+	localGrpcSockets     = make(map[int]string)
+	localGrpcSocketsLock sync.RWMutex
 )
 
 type versionedGrpcClient struct {
@@ -55,6 +63,59 @@ func init() {
 	http.DefaultTransport.(*http.Transport).MaxIdleConns = 1024
 }
 
+// RegisterLocalGrpcSocket registers a Unix socket path for a gRPC port.
+// When a gRPC client dials an address on this port, it uses the Unix socket.
+func RegisterLocalGrpcSocket(grpcPort int, socketPath string) {
+	localGrpcSocketsLock.Lock()
+	defer localGrpcSocketsLock.Unlock()
+	localGrpcSockets[grpcPort] = socketPath
+}
+
+// GetLocalGrpcSocket returns the Unix socket path for a gRPC port, or empty if not registered.
+func GetLocalGrpcSocket(grpcPort int) string {
+	localGrpcSocketsLock.RLock()
+	defer localGrpcSocketsLock.RUnlock()
+	return localGrpcSockets[grpcPort]
+}
+
+// resolveLocalGrpcSocket extracts the port from a gRPC address and returns
+// the registered Unix socket path, if any.
+func resolveLocalGrpcSocket(address string) string {
+	_, portStr, err := net.SplitHostPort(address)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	port, err := strconv.Atoi(portStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return GetLocalGrpcSocket(port)
+}
+
+// ServeGrpcOnLocalSocket starts serving a gRPC server on a Unix socket
+// if one is registered for the given port.
+func ServeGrpcOnLocalSocket(grpcServer *grpc.Server, grpcPort int) {
+	socketPath := GetLocalGrpcSocket(grpcPort)
+	if socketPath == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	if err := os.Remove(socketPath); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		glog.Warningf("Failed to remove old gRPC socket %s: %v", socketPath, err)
+	}
+	listener, err := net.Listen("unix", socketPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.Errorf("Failed to listen on gRPC Unix socket %s: %v", socketPath, err)
+		return
+	}
+	glog.V(0).Infof("gRPC also listening on Unix socket %s", socketPath)
+	go func() {
+		if err := grpcServer.Serve(listener); err != nil && err != grpc.ErrServerStopped {
+			glog.Errorf("gRPC Unix socket server error on %s: %v", socketPath, err)
+		}
+		os.Remove(socketPath)
+	}()
+}
+
 func NewGrpcServer(opts ...grpc.ServerOption) *grpc.Server {
 	var options []grpc.ServerOption
 	options = append(options,
@@ -97,6 +158,14 @@ func NewGrpcServer(opts ...grpc.ServerOption) *grpc.Server {
 func GrpcDial(ctx context.Context, address string, waitForReady bool, opts ...grpc.DialOption) (*grpc.ClientConn, error) {
 	var options []grpc.DialOption
 
+	// Route through Unix socket if one is registered for this address's port
+	if socketPath := resolveLocalGrpcSocket(address); socketPath != "" {
+		options = append(options, grpc.WithContextDialer(func(ctx context.Context, _ string) (net.Conn, error) {
+			var d net.Dialer
+			return d.DialContext(ctx, "unix", socketPath)
+		}))
+	}
+
 	options = append(options,
 		grpc.WithDefaultCallOptions(
 			grpc.MaxCallSendMsgSize(Max_Message_Size),