diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
index 65003dc883..23500dd9d8 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
@@ -437,8 +437,6 @@ func runList(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		modload.LoadBuildList(ctx)
-
 		mods := modload.ListModules(ctx, args, *listU, *listVersions, *listRetracted)
 		if !*listE {
 			for _, m := range mods {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/graph.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/graph.go
index 6da12b9cab..513536a010 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/graph.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/graph.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func runGraph(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 			base.Fatalf("go: cannot find main module; see 'go help modules'")
 		}
 	}
-	modload.LoadBuildList(ctx)
+	modload.LoadAllModules(ctx)
 
 	reqs := modload.MinReqs()
 	format := func(m module.Version) string {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/vendor.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/vendor.go
index e5353b5c7f..30334f3a42 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/vendor.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/vendor.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func runVendor(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	for _, m := range modload.BuildList()[1:] {
+	for _, m := range modload.LoadedModules()[1:] {
 		if pkgs := modpkgs[m]; len(pkgs) > 0 || isExplicit[m] {
 			line := moduleLine(m, modload.Replacement(m))
 			buf.WriteString(line)
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/verify.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/verify.go
index 73ab714d10..d542825823 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/verify.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modcmd/verify.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func runVerify(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	sem := make(chan token, runtime.GOMAXPROCS(0))
 
 	// Use a slice of result channels, so that the output is deterministic.
-	mods := modload.LoadBuildList(ctx)[1:]
+	mods := modload.LoadAllModules(ctx)[1:]
 	errsChans := make([]<-chan []error, len(mods))
 
 	for i, mod := range mods {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go
index cf9ad66b3d..a2a8287d84 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ func runGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 	modload.LoadTests = *getT
 
-	buildList := modload.LoadBuildList(ctx)
+	buildList := modload.LoadAllModules(ctx)
 	buildList = buildList[:len(buildList):len(buildList)] // copy on append
 	versionByPath := make(map[string]string)
 	for _, m := range buildList {
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ func runGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		base.ExitIfErrors()
 
 		// Stop if no changes have been made to the build list.
-		buildList = modload.BuildList()
+		buildList = modload.LoadedModules()
 		eq := len(buildList) == len(prevBuildList)
 		for i := 0; eq && i < len(buildList); i++ {
 			eq = buildList[i] == prevBuildList[i]
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ func runGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 
 	// Handle downgrades.
 	var down []module.Version
-	for _, m := range modload.BuildList() {
+	for _, m := range modload.LoadedModules() {
 		q := byPath[m.Path]
 		if q != nil && semver.Compare(m.Version, q.m.Version) > 0 {
 			down = append(down, module.Version{Path: m.Path, Version: q.m.Version})
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ func runGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	var lostUpgrades []*query
 	if len(down) > 0 {
 		versionByPath = make(map[string]string)
-		for _, m := range modload.BuildList() {
+		for _, m := range modload.LoadedModules() {
 			versionByPath[m.Path] = m.Version
 		}
 		for _, q := range byPath {
@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ func reportRetractions(ctx context.Context) {
 	// Use modload.ListModules, since that provides information in the same format
 	// as 'go list -m'. Don't query for "all", since that's not allowed outside a
 	// module.
-	buildList := modload.BuildList()
+	buildList := modload.LoadedModules()
 	args := make([]string, 0, len(buildList))
 	for _, m := range buildList {
 		if m.Version == "" {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go
index e9f9a82fab..9ca6230500 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func ModuleInfo(ctx context.Context, path string) *modinfo.ModulePublic {
 		return moduleInfo(ctx, m, fromBuildList, listRetracted)
 	}
 
-	for _, m := range BuildList() {
+	for _, m := range LoadedModules() {
 		if m.Path == path {
 			fromBuildList := true
 			return moduleInfo(ctx, m, fromBuildList, listRetracted)
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go
index 2302b044e8..581a1b944a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go
@@ -27,18 +27,38 @@ import (
 //
 var buildList []module.Version
 
-// LoadBuildList loads and returns the build list from go.mod.
-// The loading of the build list happens automatically in ImportPaths:
-// LoadBuildList need only be called if ImportPaths is not
-// (typically in commands that care about the module but
-// no particular package).
-func LoadBuildList(ctx context.Context) []module.Version {
+// LoadAllModules loads and returns the list of modules matching the "all"
+// module pattern, starting with the Target module and in a deterministic
+// (stable) order, without loading any packages.
+//
+// Modules are loaded automatically (and lazily) in ImportPaths:
+// LoadAllModules need only be called if ImportPaths is not,
+// typically in commands that care about modules but no particular package.
+//
+// The caller must not modify the returned list.
+func LoadAllModules(ctx context.Context) []module.Version {
 	InitMod(ctx)
 	ReloadBuildList()
 	WriteGoMod()
 	return buildList
 }
 
+// LoadedModules returns the list of module requirements loaded or set by a
+// previous call (typically LoadAllModules or ImportPaths), starting with the
+// Target module and in a deterministic (stable) order.
+//
+// The caller must not modify the returned list.
+func LoadedModules() []module.Version {
+	return buildList
+}
+
+// SetBuildList sets the module build list.
+// The caller is responsible for ensuring that the list is valid.
+// SetBuildList does not retain a reference to the original list.
+func SetBuildList(list []module.Version) {
+	buildList = append([]module.Version{}, list...)
+}
+
 // ReloadBuildList resets the state of loaded packages, then loads and returns
 // the build list set in SetBuildList.
 func ReloadBuildList() []module.Version {
@@ -50,21 +70,6 @@ func ReloadBuildList() []module.Version {
 	return buildList
 }
 
-// BuildList returns the module build list,
-// typically constructed by a previous call to
-// LoadBuildList or ImportPaths.
-// The caller must not modify the returned list.
-func BuildList() []module.Version {
-	return buildList
-}
-
-// SetBuildList sets the module build list.
-// The caller is responsible for ensuring that the list is valid.
-// SetBuildList does not retain a reference to the original list.
-func SetBuildList(list []module.Version) {
-	buildList = append([]module.Version{}, list...)
-}
-
 // TidyBuildList trims the build list to the minimal requirements needed to
 // retain the same versions of all packages from the preceding Load* or
 // ImportPaths* call.
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go
index 8c7b9a3950..3491f941cd 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func ListModules(ctx context.Context, args []string, listU, listVersions, listRe
 }
 
 func listModules(ctx context.Context, args []string, listVersions, listRetracted bool) []*modinfo.ModulePublic {
-	LoadBuildList(ctx)
+	LoadAllModules(ctx)
 	if len(args) == 0 {
 		return []*modinfo.ModulePublic{moduleInfo(ctx, buildList[0], true, listRetracted)}
 	}