diff --git a/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/BUILD.bazel b/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/BUILD.bazel
index e14a49c..8acd3cf 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/BUILD.bazel
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ go_library(
     visibility = ["//:__subpackages__"],
     deps = [
         "//api/scandeps",
+        "//internal/pkg/diagnostics",
         "//internal/pkg/ipc",
         "@com_github_bazelbuild_remote_apis_sdks//go/pkg/command",
         "@com_github_bazelbuild_remote_apis_sdks//go/pkg/outerr",
diff --git a/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/depsscannerclient.go b/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/depsscannerclient.go
index 4408fa8..6120ac4 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/depsscannerclient.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/cppdependencyscanner/depsscannerclient/depsscannerclient.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 
+	"github.com/bazelbuild/reclient/internal/pkg/diagnostics"
 	"github.com/bazelbuild/reclient/internal/pkg/ipc"
 
 	pb "github.com/bazelbuild/reclient/api/scandeps"
@@ -115,9 +116,24 @@ var (
 type connectFn func(ctx context.Context, address string) (pb.CPPDepsScannerClient, *pb.CapabilitiesResponse, error)
 
 // New creates new DepsScannerClient.
-func New(ctx context.Context, executor executor, cacheDir string, cacheFileMaxMb int, useDepsCache bool, logDir string, depsScannerAddress, proxyServerAddress string, connTimeout time.Duration, connect connectFn) (*DepsScannerClient, error) {
+func New(ctx context.Context, executor executor, cacheDir string, cacheFileMaxMb int, useDepsCache bool, logDir string, depsScannerAddress, proxyServerAddress string, connTimeout time.Duration, connect connectFn) (client *DepsScannerClient, err error) {
+	var addr string
+	defer func() {
+		if err == nil {
+			return
+		}
+		log.Infof("Found errors in scandeps startup, running diagnostics...")
+		cCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 10*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		in := &diagnostics.DiagnosticInputs{
+			UDSAddr: depsScannerAddress,
+		}
+		diagnostics.Run(cCtx, in)
+	}()
+
 	log.Infof("Connecting to remote dependency scanner: %v", depsScannerAddress)
-	client := &DepsScannerClient{
+	addr = depsScannerAddress
+	client = &DepsScannerClient{
 		address:        depsScannerAddress,
 		executor:       executor,
 		cacheDir:       cacheDir,
@@ -130,12 +146,12 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, executor executor, cacheDir string, cacheFileMaxMb
 
 	if strings.HasPrefix(depsScannerAddress, "exec://") {
 		executable := depsScannerAddress[7:]
-		addr, err := buildAddress(proxyServerAddress, findOpenPort)
+		addr, err = buildAddress(proxyServerAddress, findOpenPort)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to build address for dependency scanner: %w", err)
 		}
 		client.address = addr
-		if err := client.startService(ctx, executable); err != nil {
+		if err = client.startService(ctx, executable); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to start dependency scanner: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -150,7 +166,7 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, executor executor, cacheDir string, cacheFileMaxMb
 	defer cancel()
 	go func() {
 		defer close(connectCh)
-		client, capabilities, err := connect(ctx, client.address)
+		client, capabilities, err := connect(ctx, addr)
 		select {
 		case connectCh <- connectResponse{
 			client:       client,
@@ -486,6 +502,23 @@ func (ds *DepsScannerClient) restartService(ctx context.Context, executable stri
 	return err
 }
 
+func removeUDSFile(addr string) {
+	udsPath := addr
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(addr, "unix") {
+		return
+	}
+	if strings.HasPrefix(addr, "unix://") {
+		udsPath = strings.TrimPrefix(addr, "unix://")
+	} else if strings.HasPrefix(addr, "unix:") {
+		udsPath = strings.TrimPrefix(addr, "unix:")
+	}
+	if err := os.Remove(udsPath); err != nil {
+		log.Warningf("Failed to remove UDS socket file at %v: %v", udsPath, err)
+		return
+	}
+	log.Infof("Successfully removed UDS socket file at %v", udsPath)
+}
+
 func (ds *DepsScannerClient) startService(ctx context.Context, executable string) error {
 	ctx, ds.terminate = context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	ds.executable = executable
@@ -521,6 +554,8 @@ func (ds *DepsScannerClient) startService(ctx context.Context, executable string
 		envVars["GLOG_log_dir"] = ds.logDir
 	}
 
+	removeUDSFile(ds.address)
+
 	log.Infof("Starting service: %v", cmdArgs)
 	cmd := &command.Command{Args: cmdArgs}
 	cmd.InputSpec = &command.InputSpec{
diff --git a/internal/pkg/diagnostics/BUILD.bazel b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78d3dcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library", "go_test")
+
+go_library(
+    name = "diagnostics",
+    srcs = [
+        "diagnostics.go",
+        "simpleclientserver.go",
+    ],
+    importpath = "github.com/bazelbuild/reclient/internal/pkg/diagnostics",
+    visibility = ["//:__subpackages__"],
+    deps = ["@com_github_golang_glog//:glog"],
+)
+
+go_test(
+    name = "diagnostics_test",
+    srcs = ["simpleclientserver_test.go"],
+    embed = [":diagnostics"],
+)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/diagnostics/diagnostics.go b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/diagnostics.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..349d4bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/diagnostics.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Package diagnostics is used to provide diagnostic functionality to triage
+// problems with reclient during failure scenarios.
+package diagnostics
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	log "github.com/golang/glog"
+)
+
+// DiagnosticInputs struct holds key state necessary for diagnostics to run.
+type DiagnosticInputs struct {
+	UDSAddr string
+}
+
+// Run runs the diagnostics.
+func Run(ctx context.Context, in *DiagnosticInputs) {
+	if err := CheckUDSAddrWorks(ctx, in.UDSAddr); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("DIAGNOSTIC_ERROR: UDS address check for %v had errors: %v", in.UDSAddr, err)
+	} else {
+		log.Infof("DIAGNOSTIC_SUCCESS: UDS address %v works with toy RPC server", in.UDSAddr)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/diagnostics/simpleclientserver.go b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/simpleclientserver.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e8f0a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/simpleclientserver.go
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+package diagnostics
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"net/rpc"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	log "github.com/golang/glog"
+)
+
+// HelloService is a simple service to provide a HelloWorld RPC.
+type HelloService struct{}
+
+// HelloRequest identifies the hello world request.
+type HelloRequest struct{}
+
+// HelloResponse identifies the hello world response.
+type HelloResponse struct {
+	Message string
+}
+
+// HelloWorld is the RPC method that returns a hello world response.
+func (s *HelloService) HelloWorld(req *HelloRequest, res *HelloResponse) error {
+	res.Message = "Hello, world!"
+	return nil
+}
+
+// CheckUDSAddrWorks checks if we are able to start a basic RPC
+// server at the given UDS address. Useful to diagnost scandeps_server
+// startup timeout issues.
+func CheckUDSAddrWorks(ctx context.Context, addr string) error {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(addr, "unix://") {
+		addr = strings.ReplaceAll(addr, "unix://", "")
+	} else if strings.HasPrefix(addr, "unix:") {
+		addr = strings.ReplaceAll(addr, "unix:", "")
+	} else {
+		return fmt.Errorf("addr must begin with a unix:// or unix: prefix: %v", addr)
+	}
+	os.RemoveAll(addr)
+
+	serverStarted := make(chan bool, 1)
+	clientComplete := make(chan bool, 1)
+	errs := make(chan error, 1)
+	var listener net.Listener
+
+	go func() {
+		helloService := new(HelloService)
+		err := rpc.Register(helloService)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs <- fmt.Errorf("error registering service: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		listener, err = net.Listen("unix", addr)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs <- fmt.Errorf("listener error: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		log.Infof("Diagnostic server listening on UNIX socket: %v", addr)
+		serverStarted <- true
+		rpc.Accept(listener)
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return fmt.Errorf("context timeout reached in CheckUDSAddrWorks(%v)", addr)
+
+	case <-serverStarted:
+		break
+
+	case err := <-errs:
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to start RPC server at %v: %v", addr, err)
+	}
+
+	errs = make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		defer func() {
+			clientComplete <- true
+		}()
+		client, err := rpc.Dial("unix", addr)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs <- fmt.Errorf("error connecting to server: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		defer client.Close()
+
+		req := &HelloRequest{}
+		res := &HelloResponse{}
+
+		err = client.Call("HelloService.HelloWorld", req, res)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs <- fmt.Errorf("error calling HelloWorld: %v", err)
+		}
+	}()
+	log.V(1).Infof("DIAGNOSTICS: Waiting for client-server communication on address %v", addr)
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return fmt.Errorf("context timeout reached in CheckUDSAddrWorks(%v)", addr)
+
+	case <-clientComplete:
+		break
+
+	case err := <-errs:
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to talk to RPC server at %v: %v", addr, err)
+	}
+	listener.Close()
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/diagnostics/simpleclientserver_test.go b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/simpleclientserver_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f84e5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/diagnostics/simpleclientserver_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package diagnostics
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestCheckUDSAddrWorks(t *testing.T) {
+	var addr string
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		addr = "unix:" + filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "test.sock")
+	} else {
+		addr = "unix://" + filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "test.sock")
+	}
+
+	if err := CheckUDSAddrWorks(context.Background(), addr); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("CheckUDSAddrWorks(%v) failed: %v", addr, err)
+	}
+}
+func TestCheckUDSAddrWorks_InvalidAddress(t *testing.T) {
+	var addr string
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		addr = "unix:X:\\tmp\\test.sock"
+	} else {
+		addr = "unix:///rooooot/test.sock"
+	}
+
+	if err := CheckUDSAddrWorks(context.Background(), addr); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("CheckUDSAddrWorks(%v) expected error but succeeded", addr)
+	}
+}