diff --git a/src/time/sys_unix.go b/src/time/sys_unix.go
index 379e13d6a5..e592415daa 100644
--- a/src/time/sys_unix.go
+++ b/src/time/sys_unix.go
@@ -74,3 +74,5 @@ func preadn(fd uintptr, buf []byte, off int) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func isNotExist(err error) bool { return err == syscall.ENOENT }
diff --git a/src/time/zoneinfo_plan9.go b/src/time/zoneinfo_plan9.go
index 4bb0cb3909..2b8cb659e9 100644
--- a/src/time/zoneinfo_plan9.go
+++ b/src/time/zoneinfo_plan9.go
@@ -148,11 +148,12 @@ func initLocal() {
 }
 
 func loadLocation(name string) (*Location, error) {
-	if z, err := loadZoneFile(runtime.GOROOT()+"/lib/time/zoneinfo.zip", name); err == nil {
-		z.name = name
-		return z, nil
+	z, err := loadZoneFile(runtime.GOROOT()+"/lib/time/zoneinfo.zip", name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	return nil, errors.New("unknown time zone " + name)
+	z.name = name
+	return z, nil
 }
 
 func forceZipFileForTesting(zipOnly bool) {
diff --git a/src/time/zoneinfo_unix.go b/src/time/zoneinfo_unix.go
index ab7e4612e4..66540969d5 100644
--- a/src/time/zoneinfo_unix.go
+++ b/src/time/zoneinfo_unix.go
@@ -74,11 +74,17 @@ func initLocal() {
 }
 
 func loadLocation(name string) (*Location, error) {
+	var firstErr error
 	for _, zoneDir := range zoneDirs {
 		if z, err := loadZoneFile(zoneDir, name); err == nil {
 			z.name = name
 			return z, nil
+		} else if firstErr == nil && !isNotExist(err) {
+			firstErr = err
 		}
 	}
+	if firstErr != nil {
+		return nil, firstErr
+	}
 	return nil, errors.New("unknown time zone " + name)
 }
diff --git a/src/time/zoneinfo_windows.go b/src/time/zoneinfo_windows.go
index 02d8e0edcc..5077f4bd86 100644
--- a/src/time/zoneinfo_windows.go
+++ b/src/time/zoneinfo_windows.go
@@ -260,11 +260,12 @@ func initLocal() {
 }
 
 func loadLocation(name string) (*Location, error) {
-	if z, err := loadZoneFile(runtime.GOROOT()+`\lib\time\zoneinfo.zip`, name); err == nil {
-		z.name = name
-		return z, nil
+	z, err := loadZoneFile(runtime.GOROOT()+`\lib\time\zoneinfo.zip`, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	return nil, errors.New("unknown time zone " + name)
+	z.name = name
+	return z, nil
 }
 
 func forceZipFileForTesting(zipOnly bool) {