diff --git a/src/cmd/go/bootstrap.go b/src/cmd/go/bootstrap.go
index 32941404cd9..dc7ed5f4c06 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/bootstrap.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/bootstrap.go
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ func httpsOrHTTP(importPath string) (string, io.ReadCloser, error) {
 	return "", nil, errHTTP
 }
 
-func parseMetaGoImports(r io.Reader) (imports []metaImport) {
+func parseMetaGoImports(r io.Reader) ([]metaImport, error) {
 	panic("unreachable")
 }