diff --git a/src/cmd/vet/lostcancel.go b/src/cmd/vet/lostcancel.go
index ee0342035fe..496e87a5e04 100644
--- a/src/cmd/vet/lostcancel.go
+++ b/src/cmd/vet/lostcancel.go
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ func checkLostCancel(f *File, node ast.Node) {
 	var sig *types.Signature
 	switch node := node.(type) {
 	case *ast.FuncDecl:
+		if node.Name.Name == "main" && node.Recv == nil && f.file.Name.Name == "main" {
+			// Returning from main.main terminates the process,
+			// so there's no need to cancel contexts.
+			return
+		}
 		obj := f.pkg.defs[node.Name]
 		if obj == nil {
 			return // type error (e.g. duplicate function declaration)
diff --git a/src/cmd/vet/testdata/lostcancel.go b/src/cmd/vet/testdata/lostcancel.go
index b7549c00511..408bed51228 100644
--- a/src/cmd/vet/testdata/lostcancel.go
+++ b/src/cmd/vet/testdata/lostcancel.go
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
-package testdata
+package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ func _() {
 	ctx, _ = context.WithDeadline() // ERROR "the cancel function returned by context.WithDeadline should be called, not discarded, to avoid a context leak"
 }
 
+// Return from main is handled specially.
+// Since the program exits, there's no need to call cancel.
+func main() {
+	var ctx, cancel = context.WithCancel()
+}
+
 func _() {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel()
 	defer cancel() // ok