diff --git a/hgext/inotify/client.py b/hgext/inotify/client.py
--- a/hgext/inotify/client.py
+++ b/hgext/inotify/client.py
@@ -14,7 +14,14 @@ import os, select, socket, stat, struct,
 def query(ui, repo, names, match, ignored, clean, unknown=True):
     sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX)
     sockpath = repo.join('inotify.sock')
-    sock.connect(sockpath)
+    try:
+        sock.connect(sockpath)
+    except socket.error, err:
+        if err[0] == "AF_UNIX path too long":
+            sockpath = os.readlink(sockpath)
+            sock.connect(sockpath)
+        else:
+            raise
 
     def genquery():
         for n in names or []:
diff --git a/tests/test-inotify-issue1208.out b/tests/test-inotify-issue1208.out
--- a/tests/test-inotify-issue1208.out
+++ b/tests/test-inotify-issue1208.out
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 % fail
-failed to contact inotify server: AF_UNIX path too long
+failed to contact inotify server: No such file or directory
 deactivating inotify
 abort: could not start server: File exists
 % inserve
 % status
-failed to contact inotify server: AF_UNIX path too long
-deactivating inotify
 ? hg.pid