diff --git a/src/encoding/gob/decode.go b/src/encoding/gob/decode.go
index d2f6c749b1..4ef9ef7243 100644
--- a/src/encoding/gob/decode.go
+++ b/src/encoding/gob/decode.go
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ func decUint8Slice(i *decInstr, state *decoderState, value reflect.Value) {
 	if value.Cap() < n {
 		value.Set(reflect.MakeSlice(value.Type(), n, n))
 	} else {
-		value.Set(value.Slice(0, n))
+		value.SetLen(n)
 	}
 	if _, err := state.b.Read(value.Bytes()); err != nil {
 		errorf("error decoding []byte: %s", err)
diff --git a/src/encoding/gob/timing_test.go b/src/encoding/gob/timing_test.go
index 3478bd247e..ceb21c4107 100644
--- a/src/encoding/gob/timing_test.go
+++ b/src/encoding/gob/timing_test.go
@@ -280,6 +280,14 @@ func BenchmarkDecodeStringSlice(b *testing.B) {
 	benchmarkDecodeSlice(b, a)
 }
 
+func BenchmarkDecodeBytesSlice(b *testing.B) {
+	a := make([][]byte, 1000)
+	for i := range a {
+		a[i] = []byte("now is the time")
+	}
+	benchmarkDecodeSlice(b, a)
+}
+
 func BenchmarkDecodeInterfaceSlice(b *testing.B) {
 	a := make([]interface{}, 1000)
 	for i := range a {