diff --git a/src/cmd/vet/print.go b/src/cmd/vet/print.go
index df8e57e259..9998ddae07 100644
--- a/src/cmd/vet/print.go
+++ b/src/cmd/vet/print.go
@@ -192,6 +192,12 @@ func isStringer(f *File, d *ast.FuncDecl) bool {
 		f.pkg.types[d.Type.Results.List[0].Type].Type == types.Typ[types.String]
 }
 
+// isFormatter reports whether t satisfies fmt.Formatter.
+// Unlike fmt.Stringer, it's impossible to satisfy fmt.Formatter without importing fmt.
+func (f *File) isFormatter(t types.Type) bool {
+	return formatterType != nil && types.Implements(t, formatterType)
+}
+
 // formatState holds the parsed representation of a printf directive such as "%3.*[4]d".
 // It is constructed by parsePrintfVerb.
 type formatState struct {
@@ -423,8 +429,6 @@ const (
 )
 
 // printVerbs identifies which flags are known to printf for each verb.
-// TODO: A type that implements Formatter may do what it wants, and vet
-// will complain incorrectly.
 var printVerbs = []printVerb{
 	// '-' is a width modifier, always valid.
 	// '.' is a precision for float, max width for strings.
@@ -466,7 +470,16 @@ func (f *File) okPrintfArg(call *ast.CallExpr, state *formatState) (ok bool) {
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	if !found {
+
+	// Does current arg implement fmt.Formatter?
+	formatter := false
+	if state.argNum < len(call.Args) {
+		if tv, ok := f.pkg.types[call.Args[state.argNum]]; ok {
+			formatter = f.isFormatter(tv.Type)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !found && !formatter {
 		f.Badf(call.Pos(), "unrecognized printf verb %q", state.verb)
 		return false
 	}
@@ -494,7 +507,7 @@ func (f *File) okPrintfArg(call *ast.CallExpr, state *formatState) (ok bool) {
 			return false
 		}
 	}
-	if state.verb == '%' {
+	if state.verb == '%' || formatter {
 		return true
 	}
 	argNum := state.argNums[len(state.argNums)-1]
diff --git a/src/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go b/src/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go
index 4221e9017f..b5c59ebd1b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go
+++ b/src/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go
@@ -128,8 +128,10 @@ func PrintfTests() {
 	fmt.Printf("%t", stringerarrayv)           // ERROR "arg stringerarrayv for printf verb %t of wrong type"
 	fmt.Printf("%t", notstringerarrayv)        // ERROR "arg notstringerarrayv for printf verb %t of wrong type"
 	fmt.Printf("%q", notstringerarrayv)        // ERROR "arg notstringerarrayv for printf verb %q of wrong type"
-	fmt.Printf("%d", Formatter(true))          // correct (the type is responsible for formatting)
-	fmt.Printf("%s", nonemptyinterface)        // correct (the dynamic type of nonemptyinterface may be a stringer)
+	fmt.Printf("%d", Formatter(true))          // ERROR "arg Formatter\(true\) for printf verb %d of wrong type: testdata.Formatter"
+	fmt.Printf("%z", FormatterVal(true))       // correct (the type is responsible for formatting)
+	fmt.Printf("%d", FormatterVal(true))       // correct (the type is responsible for formatting)
+	fmt.Printf("%s", nonemptyinterface)        // correct (the type is responsible for formatting)
 	fmt.Printf("%.*s %d %g", 3, "hi", 23, 'x') // ERROR "arg 'x' for printf verb %g of wrong type"
 	fmt.Println()                              // not an error
 	fmt.Println("%s", "hi")                    // ERROR "possible formatting directive in Println call"
@@ -416,6 +418,12 @@ type Formatter bool
 func (*Formatter) Format(fmt.State, rune) {
 }
 
+// Formatter with value receiver
+type FormatterVal bool
+
+func (FormatterVal) Format(fmt.State, rune) {
+}
+
 type RecursiveSlice []RecursiveSlice
 
 var recursiveSliceV = &RecursiveSlice{}
diff --git a/src/cmd/vet/types.go b/src/cmd/vet/types.go
index 35ee19c85b..8357d3c2bf 100644
--- a/src/cmd/vet/types.go
+++ b/src/cmd/vet/types.go
@@ -113,8 +113,7 @@ func (f *File) matchArgTypeInternal(t printfArgType, typ types.Type, arg ast.Exp
 		}
 	}
 	// If the type implements fmt.Formatter, we have nothing to check.
-	// formatterTyp may be nil - be conservative and check for Format method in that case.
-	if formatterType != nil && types.Implements(typ, formatterType) || f.hasMethod(typ, "Format") {
+	if f.isFormatter(typ) {
 		return true
 	}
 	// If we can use a string, might arg (dynamically) implement the Stringer or Error interface?