diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 1ef5508..2b2a688 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ function gcWrap (self) {}
 
 function Socket(type) {
   this.type = type;
-  this._zmq = new zmq.Socket(defaultContext(), types[type]);
+  this._type = typeof type === 'number' ? type : types[type];
+  this._zmq = new zmq.Socket(defaultContext(), this._type);
   this._zmq.onReady = this._flush.bind(this);
   this._outgoing = [];
   this._shouldFlush = true;
diff --git a/test/test.socket.js b/test/test.socket.js
index 60b110e..bae1b7d 100644
--- a/test/test.socket.js
+++ b/test/test.socket.js
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ zmq.createSocket.should.equal(zmq.socket);
 var sock = zmq.socket('req');
 sock.type.should.equal('req');
 sock.close.should.be.a('function');
+sock.close();
+
+sock = zmq.socket(zmq.ZMQ_REQ);
+sock.type.should.equal(zmq.ZMQ_REQ);
+sock.close.should.be.a('function');
 
 // setsockopt