diff --git a/src/pkg/net/fd_plan9.go b/src/pkg/net/fd_plan9.go
index e9527a3743..84987c3a9e 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/fd_plan9.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/fd_plan9.go
@@ -108,15 +108,15 @@ func (fd *netFD) file(f *os.File, s string) (*os.File, error) {
 	return os.NewFile(uintptr(dfd), s), nil
 }
 
-func setDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
+func (fd *netFD) setDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	return syscall.EPLAN9
 }
 
-func setReadDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
+func (fd *netFD) setReadDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	return syscall.EPLAN9
 }
 
-func setWriteDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
+func (fd *netFD) setWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	return syscall.EPLAN9
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_runtime.go b/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_runtime.go
index 03474cf2c3..1675110bf0 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_runtime.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_runtime.go
@@ -115,18 +115,18 @@ func convertErr(res int) error {
 	panic("unreachable")
 }
 
-func setReadDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
+func (fd *netFD) setDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	return setDeadlineImpl(fd, t, 'r'+'w')
+}
+
+func (fd *netFD) setReadDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	return setDeadlineImpl(fd, t, 'r')
 }
 
-func setWriteDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
+func (fd *netFD) setWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	return setDeadlineImpl(fd, t, 'w')
 }
 
-func setDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
-	return setDeadlineImpl(fd, t, 'r'+'w')
-}
-
 func setDeadlineImpl(fd *netFD, t time.Time, mode int) error {
 	d := t.UnixNano()
 	if t.IsZero() {
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_unix.go b/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_unix.go
index bbe827a5bf..e763c7e4d3 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_unix.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/fd_poll_unix.go
@@ -353,18 +353,18 @@ func (pd *pollDesc) Init(fd *netFD) error {
 
 // TODO(dfc) these unused error returns could be removed
 
-func setReadDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
+func (fd *netFD) setDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	fd.setReadDeadline(t)
+	fd.setWriteDeadline(t)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (fd *netFD) setReadDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	fd.pd.rdeadline.setTime(t)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func setWriteDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
+func (fd *netFD) setWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	fd.pd.wdeadline.setTime(t)
 	return nil
 }
-
-func setDeadline(fd *netFD, t time.Time) error {
-	setReadDeadline(fd, t)
-	setWriteDeadline(fd, t)
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/net.go b/src/pkg/net/net.go
index fbf207c5f8..2cbd5d854a 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/net.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/net.go
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (c *conn) SetDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	if !c.ok() {
 		return syscall.EINVAL
 	}
-	return setDeadline(c.fd, t)
+	return c.fd.setDeadline(t)
 }
 
 // SetReadDeadline implements the Conn SetReadDeadline method.
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func (c *conn) SetReadDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	if !c.ok() {
 		return syscall.EINVAL
 	}
-	return setReadDeadline(c.fd, t)
+	return c.fd.setReadDeadline(t)
 }
 
 // SetWriteDeadline implements the Conn SetWriteDeadline method.
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (c *conn) SetWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	if !c.ok() {
 		return syscall.EINVAL
 	}
-	return setWriteDeadline(c.fd, t)
+	return c.fd.setWriteDeadline(t)
 }
 
 // SetReadBuffer sets the size of the operating system's
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/sock_posix.go b/src/pkg/net/sock_posix.go
index 4683bbb058..339bf4c58c 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/sock_posix.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/sock_posix.go
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@ func (fd *netFD) dial(laddr, raddr sockaddr, deadline time.Time, toAddr func(sys
 			return err
 		} else if rsa != nil {
 			if !deadline.IsZero() {
-				setWriteDeadline(fd, deadline)
+				fd.setWriteDeadline(deadline)
 			}
 			if err := fd.connect(lsa, rsa); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			fd.isConnected = true
 			if !deadline.IsZero() {
-				setWriteDeadline(fd, noDeadline)
+				fd.setWriteDeadline(noDeadline)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_plan9.go b/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_plan9.go
index 4781b5986c..d155d0736a 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_plan9.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_plan9.go
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ func (l *TCPListener) SetDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	if l == nil || l.fd == nil || l.fd.ctl == nil {
 		return syscall.EINVAL
 	}
-	return setDeadline(l.fd, t)
+	return l.fd.setDeadline(t)
 }
 
 // File returns a copy of the underlying os.File, set to blocking
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_posix.go b/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_posix.go
index 54c3d42ed7..e7af86bebd 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_posix.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/tcpsock_posix.go
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func (l *TCPListener) SetDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 	if l == nil || l.fd == nil {
 		return syscall.EINVAL
 	}
-	return setDeadline(l.fd, t)
+	return l.fd.setDeadline(t)
 }
 
 // File returns a copy of the underlying os.File, set to blocking
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/unixsock_posix.go b/src/pkg/net/unixsock_posix.go
index 24002aa3bf..fcc3641945 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/unixsock_posix.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/unixsock_posix.go
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ func (l *UnixListener) SetDeadline(t time.Time) (err error) {
 	if l == nil || l.fd == nil {
 		return syscall.EINVAL
 	}
-	return setDeadline(l.fd, t)
+	return l.fd.setDeadline(t)
 }
 
 // File returns a copy of the underlying os.File, set to blocking