diff --git a/relp_handler.go b/relp_handler.go
index 6b88229..54e0e98 100644
--- a/relp_handler.go
+++ b/relp_handler.go
@@ -67,7 +67,14 @@ func NewRELPHandler(relpURL string) (*RELPHandler, error) {
 }
 
 func (r *RELPHandler) connectToRELPServer() (net.Conn, error) {
-	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", r.relpServerURL)
+	parsedURL, err := url.Parse(r.relpServerURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error parsing RELP URL: %v", err)
+	}
+	if parsedURL.Scheme != "tcp" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("RELP URL must have the tcp scheme, got %s", parsedURL.Scheme)
+	}
+	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", parsedURL.Host)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}