diff --git a/src/cmd/dist/test.go b/src/cmd/dist/test.go
index 917aae19f6..8c143a0c18 100644
--- a/src/cmd/dist/test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/dist/test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
+	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -465,7 +466,10 @@ func (t *tester) registerTests() {
 	}
 
 	// Test internal linking of PIE binaries where it is supported.
-	if t.goos == "linux" && t.goarch == "amd64" {
+	if t.goos == "linux" && t.goarch == "amd64" && !isAlpineLinux() {
+		// Issue 18243: We don't have a way to set the default
+		// dynamic linker used in internal linking mode. So
+		// this test is skipped on Alpine.
 		t.tests = append(t.tests, distTest{
 			name:    "pie_internal",
 			heading: "internal linking of -buildmode=pie",
@@ -1083,11 +1087,21 @@ func (t *tester) hasBash() bool {
 func (t *tester) raceDetectorSupported() bool {
 	switch t.gohostos {
 	case "linux", "darwin", "freebsd", "windows":
-		return t.cgoEnabled && t.goarch == "amd64" && t.gohostos == t.goos
+		// The race detector doesn't work on Alpine Linux:
+		// golang.org/issue/14481
+		return t.cgoEnabled && t.goarch == "amd64" && t.gohostos == t.goos && !isAlpineLinux()
 	}
 	return false
 }
 
+func isAlpineLinux() bool {
+	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
+		return false
+	}
+	fi, err := os.Lstat("/etc/alpine-release")
+	return err == nil && fi.Mode().IsRegular()
+}
+
 func (t *tester) runFlag(rx string) string {
 	if t.compileOnly {
 		return "-run=^$"
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/go_test.go b/src/cmd/go/go_test.go
index 94ab73749d..e6c745ef8c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/go_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/go_test.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package main_test
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"go/build"
 	"go/format"
 	"internal/race"
 	"internal/testenv"
@@ -100,7 +99,9 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 
 		switch runtime.GOOS {
 		case "linux", "darwin", "freebsd", "windows":
-			canRace = canCgo && runtime.GOARCH == "amd64"
+			// The race detector doesn't work on Alpine Linux:
+			// golang.org/issue/14481
+			canRace = canCgo && runtime.GOARCH == "amd64" && !isAlpineLinux()
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -125,6 +126,14 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	os.Exit(r)
 }
 
+func isAlpineLinux() bool {
+	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
+		return false
+	}
+	fi, err := os.Lstat("/etc/alpine-release")
+	return err == nil && fi.Mode().IsRegular()
+}
+
 // The length of an mtime tick on this system. This is an estimate of
 // how long we need to sleep to ensure that the mtime of two files is
 // different.
@@ -3037,15 +3046,8 @@ func TestGoInstallPkgdir(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGoTestRaceInstallCgo(t *testing.T) {
-	switch sys := runtime.GOOS + "/" + runtime.GOARCH; sys {
-	case "darwin/amd64", "freebsd/amd64", "linux/amd64", "windows/amd64":
-		// ok
-	default:
-		t.Skip("no race detector on %s", sys)
-	}
-
-	if !build.Default.CgoEnabled {
-		t.Skip("no race detector without cgo")
+	if !canRace {
+		t.Skip("skipping because race detector not supported")
 	}
 
 	// golang.org/issue/10500.