diff --git a/src/syscall/syscall_linux.go b/src/syscall/syscall_linux.go
index dfce3d0a4b..a2dba54b97 100644
--- a/src/syscall/syscall_linux.go
+++ b/src/syscall/syscall_linux.go
@@ -204,18 +204,7 @@ func UtimesNano(path string, ts []Timespec) (err error) {
 	if len(ts) != 2 {
 		return EINVAL
 	}
-	err = utimensat(_AT_FDCWD, path, (*[2]Timespec)(unsafe.Pointer(&ts[0])), 0)
-	if err != ENOSYS {
-		return err
-	}
-	// If the utimensat syscall isn't available (utimensat was added to Linux
-	// in 2.6.22, Released, 8 July 2007) then fall back to utimes
-	var tv [2]Timeval
-	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
-		tv[i].Sec = ts[i].Sec
-		tv[i].Usec = ts[i].Nsec / 1000
-	}
-	return utimes(path, (*[2]Timeval)(unsafe.Pointer(&tv[0])))
+	return utimensat(_AT_FDCWD, path, (*[2]Timespec)(unsafe.Pointer(&ts[0])), 0)
 }
 
 func Futimesat(dirfd int, path string, tv []Timeval) (err error) {