diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modfetch/proxy.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modfetch/proxy.go
index 0ca43d4c4a..3971598733 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modfetch/proxy.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modfetch/proxy.go
@@ -196,8 +196,12 @@ func TryProxies(f func(proxy string) error) error {
 
 	// We try to report the most helpful error to the user. "direct" and "noproxy"
 	// errors are best, followed by proxy errors other than ErrNotExist, followed
-	// by ErrNotExist. Note that errProxyOff, errNoproxy, and errUseProxy are
-	// equivalent to ErrNotExist.
+	// by ErrNotExist.
+	//
+	// Note that errProxyOff, errNoproxy, and errUseProxy are equivalent to
+	// ErrNotExist. errUseProxy should only be returned if "noproxy" is the only
+	// proxy. errNoproxy should never be returned, since there should always be a
+	// more useful error from "noproxy" first.
 	const (
 		notExistRank = iota
 		proxyRank
@@ -212,7 +216,7 @@ func TryProxies(f func(proxy string) error) error {
 		}
 		isNotExistErr := errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist)
 
-		if proxy.url == "direct" || proxy.url == "noproxy" {
+		if proxy.url == "direct" || (proxy.url == "noproxy" && err != errUseProxy) {
 			bestErr = err
 			bestErrRank = directRank
 		} else if bestErrRank <= proxyRank && !isNotExistErr {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_gonoproxy.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_gonoproxy.txt
index 2bd94cdee0..d7848c7d26 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_gonoproxy.txt
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_gonoproxy.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ env GOSUMDB=$sumdb' '$proxy/sumdb-wrong
 ! go get rsc.io/quote
 stderr 'SECURITY ERROR'
 
-# but GONOSUMDB bypasses sumdb, for rsc.io/quote, rsc.io/sampler, golang.org/x/text
+# GONOSUMDB bypasses sumdb, for rsc.io/quote, rsc.io/sampler, golang.org/x/text
 env GONOSUMDB='*/quote,*/*mple*,golang.org/x'
 go get rsc.io/quote
 rm go.sum
@@ -18,7 +18,13 @@ env GOPRIVATE='*/quote,*/*mple*,golang.org/x'
 env GONOPROXY=none # that is, proxy all despite GOPRIVATE
 go get rsc.io/quote
 
-# and GONOPROXY bypasses proxy
+# When GOPROXY=off, fetching modules not matched by GONOPROXY fails.
+env GONOPROXY=*/fortune
+env GOPROXY=off
+! go get golang.org/x/text
+stderr '^go get golang.org/x/text: module lookup disabled by GOPROXY=off$'
+
+# GONOPROXY bypasses proxy
 [!net] skip
 [!exec:git] skip
 env GOPRIVATE=none