diff --git a/examples/templates/posix_sockets.h b/examples/templates/posix_sockets.h
index 6149423..f469d65 100644
--- a/examples/templates/posix_sockets.h
+++ b/examples/templates/posix_sockets.h
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <netdb.h>
 #endif
+#if defined(__VMS)
+#include <ioctl.h>
+#endif
 #include <fcntl.h>
 
 /*
@@ -55,6 +58,15 @@ int open_nb_socket(const char* addr, const char* port) {
         ioctlsocket(sockfd, FIONBIO, &iMode);
     }
 #endif
+#if defined(__VMS)
+    /* 
+        OpenVMS only partially implements fcntl. It works on file descriptors
+        but silently fails on socket descriptors. So we need to fall back on
+        to the older ioctl system to set non-blocking IO
+    */
+    int on = 1;                 
+    if (sockfd != -1) ioctl(sockfd, FIONBIO, &on);
+#endif
 
     /* return the new socket fd */
     return sockfd;