diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go
index f4b969fcb22..a314c57160b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ var downloadCache = map[string]bool{}
 var downloadRootCache = map[string]bool{}
 
 // download runs the download half of the get command
-// for the package named by the argument.
+// for the package or pattern named by the argument.
 func download(arg string, parent *load.Package, stk *load.ImportStack, mode int) {
 	if mode&load.ResolveImport != 0 {
 		// Caller is responsible for expanding vendor paths.
@@ -402,7 +402,20 @@ func downloadPackage(p *load.Package) error {
 		security = web.Insecure
 	}
 
-	if err := CheckImportPath(p.ImportPath); err != nil {
+	// p can be either a real package, or a pseudo-package whose “import path” is
+	// actually a wildcard pattern.
+	// Trim the path at the element containing the first wildcard,
+	// and hope that it applies to the wildcarded parts too.
+	// This makes 'go get rsc.io/pdf/...' work in a fresh GOPATH.
+	importPrefix := p.ImportPath
+	if i := strings.Index(importPrefix, "..."); i >= 0 {
+		slash := strings.LastIndexByte(importPrefix[:i], '/')
+		if slash < 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("cannot expand ... in %q", p.ImportPath)
+		}
+		importPrefix = importPrefix[:slash]
+	}
+	if err := CheckImportPath(importPrefix); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%s: invalid import path: %v", p.ImportPath, err)
 	}
 
@@ -425,7 +438,7 @@ func downloadPackage(p *load.Package) error {
 			}
 			repo = remote
 			if !*getF && err == nil {
-				if rr, err := RepoRootForImportPath(p.ImportPath, IgnoreMod, security); err == nil {
+				if rr, err := RepoRootForImportPath(importPrefix, IgnoreMod, security); err == nil {
 					repo := rr.Repo
 					if rr.vcs.resolveRepo != nil {
 						resolved, err := rr.vcs.resolveRepo(rr.vcs, dir, repo)
@@ -442,7 +455,7 @@ func downloadPackage(p *load.Package) error {
 	} else {
 		// Analyze the import path to determine the version control system,
 		// repository, and the import path for the root of the repository.
-		rr, err := RepoRootForImportPath(p.ImportPath, IgnoreMod, security)
+		rr, err := RepoRootForImportPath(importPrefix, IgnoreMod, security)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/get/vcs.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/get/vcs.go
index 052c82b7b56..a7a2ba32cc3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/get/vcs.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/get/vcs.go
@@ -647,14 +647,7 @@ const (
 func RepoRootForImportPath(importPath string, mod ModuleMode, security web.SecurityMode) (*RepoRoot, error) {
 	rr, err := repoRootFromVCSPaths(importPath, "", security, vcsPaths)
 	if err == errUnknownSite {
-		// If there are wildcards, look up the thing before the wildcard,
-		// hoping it applies to the wildcarded parts too.
-		// This makes 'go get rsc.io/pdf/...' work in a fresh GOPATH.
-		lookup := strings.TrimSuffix(importPath, "/...")
-		if i := strings.Index(lookup, "/.../"); i >= 0 {
-			lookup = lookup[:i]
-		}
-		rr, err = repoRootForImportDynamic(lookup, mod, security)
+		rr, err = repoRootForImportDynamic(importPath, mod, security)
 		if err != nil {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("unrecognized import path %q (%v)", importPath, err)
 		}
@@ -667,6 +660,7 @@ func RepoRootForImportPath(importPath string, mod ModuleMode, security web.Secur
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Should have been taken care of above, but make sure.
 	if err == nil && strings.Contains(importPath, "...") && strings.Contains(rr.Root, "...") {
 		// Do not allow wildcards in the repo root.
 		rr = nil