diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/commands/serve.js b/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/commands/serve.js
index 571ea7fe50..714458241d 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/commands/serve.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/commands/serve.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const {
   hasProjectYarn,
   hasProjectPnpm,
   openBrowser,
-  IpcMessenger
+  NewIpcMessenger
 } = require('@vue/cli-shared-utils')
 
 const defaults = {
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ module.exports = (api, options) => {
 
           // Send final app URL
           if (args.dashboard) {
-            const ipc = new IpcMessenger()
+            const ipc = new NewIpcMessenger()
             ipc.send({
               vueServe: {
                 url: localUrlForBrowser
diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/webpack/DashboardPlugin.js b/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/webpack/DashboardPlugin.js
index 21e318ae2b..8116ee6afb 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/webpack/DashboardPlugin.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-service/lib/webpack/DashboardPlugin.js
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@
 const path = require('path')
 const fs = require('fs-extra')
 const webpack = require('webpack')
-const { IpcMessenger } = require('@vue/cli-shared-utils')
+const { NewIpcMessenger } = require('@vue/cli-shared-utils')
 const { analyzeBundle } = require('./analyzeBundle')
 
 const ID = 'vue-cli-dashboard-plugin'
 const ONE_SECOND = 1000
 const FILENAME_QUERY_REGEXP = /\?.*$/
 
-const ipc = new IpcMessenger()
+const ipc = new NewIpcMessenger()
 
 function getTimeMessage (timer) {
   let time = Date.now() - timer
diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/index.js b/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/index.js
index 830a325459..72775e1a1b 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/index.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   'env',
   'exit',
   'ipc',
+  'NewIpcMessenger',
   'logger',
   'module',
   'object',
diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/lib/NewIpcMessenger.js b/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/lib/NewIpcMessenger.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1abad42827
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/lib/NewIpcMessenger.js
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+const net = require('net')
+const path = require('path')
+
+const DEFAULT_ID = process.env.VUE_CLI_IPC || 'vue-cli'
+const DEFAULT_IDLE_TIMEOUT = 3000
+const DEFAULT_OPTIONS = {
+  networkId: DEFAULT_ID,
+  autoConnect: true,
+  disconnectOnIdle: false,
+  idleTimeout: DEFAULT_IDLE_TIMEOUT,
+  namespaceOnProject: true
+}
+const PROJECT_ID = process.env.VUE_CLI_PROJECT_ID
+
+exports.NewIpcMessenger = class NewIpcMessenger {
+  constructor (options = {}) {
+    this.options = Object.assign({}, DEFAULT_OPTIONS, options)
+
+    this.id = this.options.networkId
+
+    // per the node-ipc documentation
+    // TODO: windows socket path
+    this.socketPath = path.join('/tmp/', `app.${this.id}`)
+
+    this.connected = false
+    this.connecting = false
+    this.disconnecting = false
+    this.queue = []
+    this.listeners = []
+
+    this.disconnectTimeout = 15000
+    this.idleTimer = null
+
+    // Prevent forced process exit
+    // (or else ipc messages may not be sent before kill)
+    process.exit = code => {
+      process.exitCode = code
+    }
+  }
+
+  checkConnection () {
+    // TODO: not sure how to abstract this under the current implementation
+  }
+
+  send (data, type = 'message') {
+    if (this.connected) {
+      if (this.options.namespaceOnProject && PROJECT_ID) {
+        data = {
+          _projectId: PROJECT_ID,
+          _data: data
+        }
+      }
+
+      // the packet format is compatible with node-ipc default
+      this._client.write(JSON.stringify({ type, data }) + '\f', 'utf8')
+
+      clearTimeout(this.idleTimer)
+      if (this.options.disconnectOnIdle) {
+        this.idleTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+          this.disconnect()
+        }, this.options.idleTimeout)
+      }
+    } else {
+      this.queue.push(data)
+      if (this.options.autoConnect && !this.connecting) {
+        this.connect()
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  connect () {
+    if (this.connected || this.connecting) return
+
+    this.connecting = true
+    this.disconnecting = false
+
+    // TODO: check the socketPath, unlink if existed
+    // TODO: server side
+    // net.createServer().listen(this.socketPath)
+
+    // client side
+    this._client = net.createConnection({ path: this.socketPath }, () => {
+      this.connected = true
+      this.connecting = false
+      this.queue && this.queue.forEach(data => this.send(data))
+      this.queue = []
+    })
+  }
+
+  disconnect () {}
+
+  on (listener) {
+    this.listeners.push(listener)
+  }
+
+  off (listener) {
+    const index = this.listeners.indexOf(listener)
+    if (index !== -1) this.listeners.splice(index, 1)
+  }
+
+  _onMessage (data) {
+    this.listeners.forEach(fn => {
+      if (this.options.namespaceOnProject && data._projectId) {
+        if (data._projectId === PROJECT_ID) {
+          data = data._data
+        } else {
+          return
+        }
+      }
+      fn(data)
+    })
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/lib/ipc.js b/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/lib/ipc.js
index 96b5d4afd8..b30a4c8f97 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/lib/ipc.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-shared-utils/lib/ipc.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ exports.IpcMessenger = class IpcMessenger {
     this.connected = false
     this.connecting = false
     this.disconnecting = false
-    this.queue = null
+    this.queue = []
     this.options = options
 
     this.listeners = []
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ exports.IpcMessenger = class IpcMessenger {
       this.connected = true
       this.connecting = false
       this.queue && this.queue.forEach(data => this.send(data))
-      this.queue = null
+      this.queue = []
 
       ipc.of[this.id].on('message', this._onMessage)
     })