diff --git a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/external/util/ExternalDataCompatibilityUtils.java b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/external/util/ExternalDataCompatibilityUtils.java
index 4e6401a..7bfe698 100644
--- a/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/external/util/ExternalDataCompatibilityUtils.java
+++ b/asterix-external-data/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/external/util/ExternalDataCompatibilityUtils.java
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@
             configuration.put(ExternalDataConstants.KEY_READER_STREAM, ExternalDataConstants.ALIAS_LOCALFS_ADAPTER);
         }
 
+        // Socket
+        if (adapterName.equalsIgnoreCase(ExternalDataConstants.ALIAS_SOCKET_ADAPTER)) {
+            if (configuration.get(ExternalDataConstants.KEY_FORMAT) == null) {
+                throw new AsterixException("Unspecified format parameter for socket adapter");
+            }
+            configuration.put(ExternalDataConstants.KEY_READER, configuration.get(ExternalDataConstants.KEY_FORMAT));
+            configuration.put(ExternalDataConstants.KEY_READER_STREAM, ExternalDataConstants.STREAM_SOCKET);
+        }
+
         // Twitter (Pull)
         if (adapterName.equals(ExternalDataConstants.ALIAS_TWITTER_PULL_ADAPTER)) {
             configuration.put(ExternalDataConstants.KEY_READER, ExternalDataConstants.READER_TWITTER_PULL);