Methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling communications between network applications and multiple network communications protocol stacks using deferred protocol stack association are disclosed. In one method, a socket creation function call is received from an application. A socket creation function call is terminated, a pseudo communications endpoint is created, and a socket descriptor corresponding to the pseudo communications endpoint is returned to the application. At least one subsequent sockets-related function call is received. Based on the subsequent sockets-related function call, it is determined whether the application is a client or a server. In response to determining that the application is a server, communications endpoints are created on each of the network communications protocol stacks and server-related sockets function calls are made to each of the underlying protocol stacks. In response to determining that the application is a client, a protocol stack is selected, a protocol-stack-specific communications endpoint is created, and client-related sockets function calls are made to the underlying protocol-stack.