diff --git a/src/cmd/go/build.go b/src/cmd/go/build.go
index 02e2172b968..f0078a36c8c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/build.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/build.go
@@ -818,7 +818,8 @@ var errPrintedOutput = errors.New("already printed output - no need to show erro
 // run runs the command given by cmdline in the directory dir.
 // If the commnd fails, run prints information about the failure
 // and returns a non-nil error.
-func (b *builder) run(dir string, desc string, cmdline ...string) error {
+func (b *builder) run(dir string, desc string, cmdargs ...interface{}) error {
+	cmdline := stringList(cmdargs...)
 	if buildN || buildX {
 		b.showcmd(dir, "%s", strings.Join(cmdline, " "))
 		if buildN {
@@ -890,14 +891,11 @@ func mkAbs(dir, f string) string {
 // gc runs the Go compiler in a specific directory on a set of files
 // to generate the named output file. 
 func (b *builder) gc(p *Package, ofile string, gcargs, importArgs []string, gofiles []string) error {
-	args := []string{b.arch + "g", "-o", ofile}
-	args = append(args, b.gcflags...)
-	args = append(args, gcargs...)
-	args = append(args, importArgs...)
+	args := stringList(b.arch+"g", "-o", ofile, b.gcflags, gcargs, importArgs)
 	for _, f := range gofiles {
 		args = append(args, mkAbs(p.Dir, f))
 	}
-	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, args...)
+	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, args)
 }
 
 // asm runs the assembler in a specific directory on a specific file
@@ -911,17 +909,16 @@ func (b *builder) asm(p *Package, obj, ofile, sfile string) error {
 // an archive from a set of object files.
 // typically it is run in the object directory.
 func (b *builder) gopack(p *Package, objDir, afile string, ofiles []string) error {
-	cmd := []string{"gopack", "grc"}
-	cmd = append(cmd, mkAbs(objDir, afile))
+	var absOfiles []string
 	for _, f := range ofiles {
-		cmd = append(cmd, mkAbs(objDir, f))
+		absOfiles = append(absOfiles, mkAbs(objDir, f))
 	}
-	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, cmd...)
+	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, "gopack", "grc", mkAbs(objDir, afile), absOfiles)
 }
 
 // ld runs the linker to create a package starting at mainpkg.
 func (b *builder) ld(p *Package, out string, importArgs []string, mainpkg string) error {
-	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, append(append([]string{b.arch + "l", "-o", out}, importArgs...), mainpkg)...)
+	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, b.arch+"l", "-o", out, importArgs, mainpkg)
 }
 
 // cc runs the gc-toolchain C compiler in a directory on a C file
@@ -929,22 +926,24 @@ func (b *builder) ld(p *Package, out string, importArgs []string, mainpkg string
 func (b *builder) cc(p *Package, objdir, ofile, cfile string) error {
 	inc := filepath.Join(b.goroot, "pkg", fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s", b.goos, b.goarch))
 	cfile = mkAbs(p.Dir, cfile)
-	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, b.arch+"c", "-FVw", "-I", objdir, "-I", inc, "-o", ofile, "-DGOOS_"+b.goos, "-DGOARCH_"+b.goarch, cfile)
+	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, b.arch+"c", "-FVw",
+		"-I", objdir, "-I", inc, "-o", ofile,
+		"-DGOOS_"+b.goos, "-DGOARCH_"+b.goarch, cfile)
 }
 
 // gcc runs the gcc C compiler to create an object from a single C file.
 func (b *builder) gcc(p *Package, out string, flags []string, cfile string) error {
 	cfile = mkAbs(p.Dir, cfile)
-	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, b.gccCmd(p.Dir, flags, "-o", out, "-c", cfile)...)
+	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, b.gccCmd(p.Dir), flags, "-o", out, "-c", cfile)
 }
 
 // gccld runs the gcc linker to create an executable from a set of object files
 func (b *builder) gccld(p *Package, out string, flags []string, obj []string) error {
-	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, append(b.gccCmd(p.Dir, flags, "-o", out), obj...)...)
+	return b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, b.gccCmd(p.Dir), "-o", out, obj, flags)
 }
 
-// gccCmd returns a gcc command line ending with args
-func (b *builder) gccCmd(objdir string, flags []string, args ...string) []string {
+// gccCmd returns a gcc command line prefix
+func (b *builder) gccCmd(objdir string) []string {
 	// TODO: HOST_CC?
 	a := []string{"gcc", "-I", objdir, "-g", "-O2"}
 
@@ -969,8 +968,7 @@ func (b *builder) gccCmd(objdir string, flags []string, args ...string) []string
 			a = append(a, "-pthread")
 		}
 	}
-	a = append(a, flags...)
-	return append(a, args...)
+	return a
 }
 
 var cgoRe = regexp.MustCompile(`[/\\:]`)
@@ -994,13 +992,11 @@ func (b *builder) cgo(p *Package, cgoExe, obj string, gccfiles []string) (outGo,
 	defunC := obj + "_cgo_defun.c"
 	// TODO: make cgo not depend on $GOARCH?
 	// TODO: make cgo write to obj
-	cgoArgs := []string{cgoExe, "-objdir", obj}
+	var runtimeFlag []string
 	if p.Standard && p.ImportPath == "runtime/cgo" {
-		cgoArgs = append(cgoArgs, "-import_runtime_cgo=false")
+		runtimeFlag = []string{"-import_runtime_cgo=false"}
 	}
-	cgoArgs = append(cgoArgs, "--")
-	cgoArgs = append(cgoArgs, p.CgoFiles...)
-	if err := b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, cgoArgs...); err != nil {
+	if err := b.run(p.Dir, p.ImportPath, cgoExe, "-objdir", obj, runtimeFlag, "--", p.CgoFiles); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 	outGo = append(outGo, gofiles...)
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/fix.go b/src/cmd/go/fix.go
index df6bcb347bd..fdefe8db6ed 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/fix.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/fix.go
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ func runFix(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 		// Use pkg.gofiles instead of pkg.Dir so that
 		// the command only applies to this package,
 		// not to packages in subdirectories.
-		run(append([]string{"gofix"}, pkg.gofiles...)...)
+		run(stringList("gofix", pkg.gofiles))
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/fmt.go b/src/cmd/go/fmt.go
index adf63be1f10..fb0b0911920 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/fmt.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/fmt.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func runFmt(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 		// Use pkg.gofiles instead of pkg.Dir so that
 		// the command only applies to this package,
 		// not to packages in subdirectories.
-		run(append([]string{"gofmt", "-l", "-w"}, pkg.gofiles...)...)
+		run(stringList("gofmt", "-I", "w", pkg.gofiles))
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/main.go b/src/cmd/go/main.go
index 4d21cf20c39..4b1ff357da4 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/main.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/main.go
@@ -236,7 +236,8 @@ func exitIfErrors() {
 	}
 }
 
-func run(cmdline ...string) {
+func run(cmdargs ...interface{}) {
+	cmdline := stringList(cmdargs...)
 	cmd := exec.Command(cmdline[0], cmdline[1:]...)
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
@@ -404,3 +405,20 @@ func allPackagesInFS(pattern string) []string {
 	}
 	return pkgs
 }
+
+// stringList's arguments should be a sequence of string or []string values.
+// stringList flattens them into a single []string.
+func stringList(args ...interface{}) []string {
+	var x []string
+	for _, arg := range args {
+		switch arg := arg.(type) {
+		case []string:
+			x = append(x, arg...)
+		case string:
+			x = append(x, arg)
+		default:
+			panic("stringList: invalid argument")
+		}
+	}
+	return x
+}
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/run.go b/src/cmd/go/run.go
index 1582531faea..dbd91a367ea 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/run.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/run.go
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ func runRun(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 // runProgram is the action for running a binary that has already
 // been compiled.  We ignore exit status.
 func (b *builder) runProgram(a *action) error {
-	args := append([]string{a.deps[0].target}, a.args...)
-	run(args...)
+	run(a.deps[0].target, a.args)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/test.go b/src/cmd/go/test.go
index ac0498fa7a6..57e0469e061 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/test.go
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func (b *builder) test(p *Package) (buildAction, runAction, printAction *action,
 		ptest.GoFiles = append(ptest.GoFiles, p.GoFiles...)
 		ptest.GoFiles = append(ptest.GoFiles, p.info.TestGoFiles...)
 		ptest.target = ""
-		ptest.Imports = append(append([]string{}, p.info.Imports...), p.info.TestImports...)
+		ptest.Imports = stringList(p.info.Imports, p.info.TestImports)
 		ptest.imports = append(append([]*Package{}, p.imports...), imports...)
 		ptest.pkgdir = testDir
 		ptest.fake = true
@@ -441,8 +441,7 @@ func (b *builder) test(p *Package) (buildAction, runAction, printAction *action,
 
 // runTest is the action for running a test binary.
 func (b *builder) runTest(a *action) error {
-	args := []string{a.deps[0].target}
-	args = append(args, testArgs...)
+	args := stringList(a.deps[0].target, testArgs)
 	a.testOutput = new(bytes.Buffer)
 
 	if buildN || buildX {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/vet.go b/src/cmd/go/vet.go
index f8fe92243b5..c1e17dfd0cf 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/vet.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/vet.go
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ func runVet(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 		// Use pkg.gofiles instead of pkg.Dir so that
 		// the command only applies to this package,
 		// not to packages in subdirectories.
-		run(append([]string{"govet"}, pkg.gofiles...)...)
+		run("govet", pkg.gofiles)
 	}
 }