diff --git a/src/pkg/os/getwd.go b/src/pkg/os/getwd.go
index 1326e15259..8c5ff7fca5 100644
--- a/src/pkg/os/getwd.go
+++ b/src/pkg/os/getwd.go
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ var getwdCache struct {
 	dir string
 }
 
+// useSyscallwd determines whether to use the return value of
+// syscall.Getwd based on its error.
+var useSyscallwd = func(error) bool { return true }
+
 // Getwd returns a rooted path name corresponding to the
 // current directory.  If the current directory can be
 // reached via multiple paths (due to symbolic links),
@@ -22,7 +26,7 @@ func Getwd() (pwd string, err error) {
 	// If the operating system provides a Getwd call, use it.
 	if syscall.ImplementsGetwd {
 		s, e := syscall.Getwd()
-		if e != syscall.ENOTSUP {
+		if useSyscallwd(e) {
 			return s, NewSyscallError("getwd", e)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/os/getwd_darwin.go b/src/pkg/os/getwd_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e51ffcd5e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pkg/os/getwd_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package os
+
+import "syscall"
+
+func init() {
+	useSyscallwd = useSyscallwdDarwin
+}
+
+func useSyscallwdDarwin(err error) bool {
+	return err != syscall.ENOTSUP
+}