diff --git a/src/go/build/read_test.go b/src/go/build/read_test.go
index 9cef657e13f..2a36a012d5d 100644
--- a/src/go/build/read_test.go
+++ b/src/go/build/read_test.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func testRead(t *testing.T, tests []readTest, read func(io.Reader) ([]byte, erro
 			}
 			continue
 		}
-		if err == nil && tt.err != "" {
+		if tt.err != "" {
 			t.Errorf("#%d: success, expected %q", i, tt.err)
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/src/go/doc/reader.go b/src/go/doc/reader.go
index 26365e46b5d..4950e7c6c38 100644
--- a/src/go/doc/reader.go
+++ b/src/go/doc/reader.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func (mset methodSet) add(m *Func) {
 		mset[m.Name] = m
 		return
 	}
-	if old != nil && m.Level == old.Level {
+	if m.Level == old.Level {
 		// conflict - mark it using a method with nil Decl
 		mset[m.Name] = &Func{
 			Name:  m.Name,