diff --git a/src/net/http/triv.go b/src/net/http/triv.go
index 11b19ab30c..9bf0caa37f 100644
--- a/src/net/http/triv.go
+++ b/src/net/http/triv.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func Logger(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 	http.Error(w, "oops", http.StatusNotFound)
 }
 
-var webroot = flag.String("root", os.Getenv("HOME"), "web root directory")
+var webroot = flag.String("root", "", "web root directory")
 
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
@@ -128,11 +128,13 @@ func main() {
 	expvar.Publish("counter", ctr)
 	http.Handle("/counter", ctr)
 	http.Handle("/", http.HandlerFunc(Logger))
-	http.Handle("/go/", http.StripPrefix("/go/", http.FileServer(http.Dir(*webroot))))
+	if *webroot != "" {
+		http.Handle("/go/", http.StripPrefix("/go/", http.FileServer(http.Dir(*webroot))))
+	}
 	http.Handle("/chan", ChanCreate())
 	http.HandleFunc("/flags", FlagServer)
 	http.HandleFunc("/args", ArgServer)
 	http.HandleFunc("/go/hello", HelloServer)
 	http.HandleFunc("/date", DateServer)
-	log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(":12345", nil))
+	log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe("localhost:12345", nil))
 }