diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 508e1a1..3981c20 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -107,10 +107,10 @@ app.use(function staticsPlaceholder(req, res, next) {
 ```
 
 #### server
-Type: `String`
+Type: `String|Object`
 Default: null
 
-This option allows you to specify a path to a Node.js module that exports a "connect-like" object. Such object should have the following two functions:
+This option allows you to specify a "connect-like" object. This can optionally be a path to a Node.js module that exports a such an object. Such object should have the following two functions:
 
 1. `use(route, fn)` (https://github.com/senchalabs/connect/blob/master/lib/proto.js#L62)
 2. `listen()` (https://github.com/senchalabs/connect/blob/master/lib/proto.js#L227)
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 05e4144..b36195f 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -89,17 +89,22 @@ exports.runServer = function runServer(grunt, options) {
 
   var server;
   if (options.server) {
-    try {
-      server = require(path.resolve(options.server));
-      if (typeof server.listen !== 'function') {
-        grunt.fatal('Server should provide a function called "listen" that acts as http.Server.listen');
+    if (typeof options.server === 'string') {
+      try {
+        server = require(path.resolve(options.server));
+      } catch (e) {
+        var errorMessage = options.showStack ? '\n' + e.stack : e;
+        grunt.fatal('Server ["' + options.server + '"] -  ' + errorMessage);
       }
-      if (typeof server.use !== 'function') {
-        grunt.fatal('Server should provide a function called "use" that acts as connect.use');
-      }
-    } catch (e) {
-      var errorMessage = options.showStack ? '\n' + e.stack : e;
-      grunt.fatal('Server ["' + options.server + '"] -  ' + errorMessage);
+    } else {
+      server = options.server;
+    }
+
+    if (typeof server.listen !== 'function') {
+      grunt.fatal('Server should provide a function called "listen" that acts as http.Server.listen');
+    }
+    if (typeof server.use !== 'function') {
+      grunt.fatal('Server should provide a function called "use" that acts as connect.use');
     }
   } else {
     server = connect();