diff --git a/cmd/tipgodoc/Dockerfile b/cmd/tipgodoc/Dockerfile
index 23060d3813..ac958192df 100644
--- a/cmd/tipgodoc/Dockerfile
+++ b/cmd/tipgodoc/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-FROM golang
+FROM golang:1.4.1
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y -q build-essential git
 
+# golang puts its go install here (weird but true)
+ENV GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP /usr/src/go
+
 # golang sets GOPATH=/go
 ADD . /go/src/tipgodoc
 RUN go install tipgodoc
diff --git a/cmd/tipgodoc/tip.go b/cmd/tipgodoc/tip.go
index 6fc0656be5..4a92a5c13f 100644
--- a/cmd/tipgodoc/tip.go
+++ b/cmd/tipgodoc/tip.go
@@ -151,7 +151,11 @@ func initSide(side, goHash, toolsHash string) (godoc *exec.Cmd, hostport string,
 	}
 	goBin := filepath.Join(goDir, "bin/go")
 	install := exec.Command(goBin, "install", "golang.org/x/tools/cmd/godoc")
-	install.Env = []string{"GOROOT=" + goDir, "GOPATH=" + filepath.Join(dir, "gopath")}
+	install.Env = []string{
+		"GOROOT=" + goDir,
+		"GOPATH=" + filepath.Join(dir, "gopath"),
+		"GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP=" + os.Getenv("GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP"),
+	}
 	if err := runErr(install); err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}