diff --git a/cmd/godoc/goroot.go b/cmd/godoc/goroot.go
index 998e869362..755069d949 100644
--- a/cmd/godoc/goroot.go
+++ b/cmd/godoc/goroot.go
@@ -6,14 +6,12 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
+	"strings"
 )
 
-// Copies of functions from src/cmd/go/internal/cfg/cfg.go for
-// finding the GOROOT.
-// Keep them in sync until support is moved to a common place, if ever.
-
 func findGOROOT() string {
 	if env := os.Getenv("GOROOT"); env != "" {
 		return filepath.Clean(env)
@@ -24,51 +22,9 @@ func findGOROOT() string {
 		// depend on the executable's location.
 		return def
 	}
-	exe, err := os.Executable()
-	if err == nil {
-		exe, err = filepath.Abs(exe)
-		if err == nil {
-			if dir := filepath.Join(exe, "../.."); isGOROOT(dir) {
-				// If def (runtime.GOROOT()) and dir are the same
-				// directory, prefer the spelling used in def.
-				if isSameDir(def, dir) {
-					return def
-				}
-				return dir
-			}
-			exe, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(exe)
-			if err == nil {
-				if dir := filepath.Join(exe, "../.."); isGOROOT(dir) {
-					if isSameDir(def, dir) {
-						return def
-					}
-					return dir
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return def
-}
-
-// isGOROOT reports whether path looks like a GOROOT.
-//
-// It does this by looking for the path/pkg/tool directory,
-// which is necessary for useful operation of the cmd/go tool,
-// and is not typically present in a GOPATH.
-func isGOROOT(path string) bool {
-	stat, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(path, "pkg", "tool"))
+	out, err := exec.Command("go", "env", "GOROOT").Output()
 	if err != nil {
-		return false
+		return def
 	}
-	return stat.IsDir()
-}
-
-// isSameDir reports whether dir1 and dir2 are the same directory.
-func isSameDir(dir1, dir2 string) bool {
-	if dir1 == dir2 {
-		return true
-	}
-	info1, err1 := os.Stat(dir1)
-	info2, err2 := os.Stat(dir2)
-	return err1 == nil && err2 == nil && os.SameFile(info1, info2)
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
 }