diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/clean/clean.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/clean/clean.go
index 8af3e3df9c..6bfd7ae21e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/clean/clean.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/clean/clean.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func runClean(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 
 	if cleanPkg {
-		for _, pkg := range load.PackagesAndErrors(args) {
+		for _, pkg := range load.PackagesAndErrors(ctx, args) {
 			clean(pkg)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/fix/fix.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/fix/fix.go
index f16af05fc8..825624fcbb 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/fix/fix.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/fix/fix.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ See also: go fmt, go vet.
 
 func runFix(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	printed := false
-	for _, pkg := range load.Packages(args) {
+	for _, pkg := range load.Packages(ctx, args) {
 		if modload.Enabled() && pkg.Module != nil && !pkg.Module.Main {
 			if !printed {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "go: not fixing packages in dependency modules\n")
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/fmtcmd/fmt.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/fmtcmd/fmt.go
index 9868efc7ef..f96cff429c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/fmtcmd/fmt.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/fmtcmd/fmt.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func runFmt(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 			}
 		}()
 	}
-	for _, pkg := range load.PackagesAndErrors(args) {
+	for _, pkg := range load.PackagesAndErrors(ctx, args) {
 		if modload.Enabled() && pkg.Module != nil && !pkg.Module.Main {
 			if !printed {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "go: not formatting packages in dependency modules\n")
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go
index fb26f77f95..98c17bba8c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func runGenerate(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 
 	// Even if the arguments are .go files, this loop suffices.
 	printed := false
-	for _, pkg := range load.PackagesAndErrors(args) {
+	for _, pkg := range load.PackagesAndErrors(ctx, args) {
 		if modload.Enabled() && pkg.Module != nil && !pkg.Module.Main {
 			if !printed {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "go: not generating in packages in dependency modules\n")
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go
index f7da5270b0..ef43602aca 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/get/get.go
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ func runGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	// everything.
 	load.ClearPackageCache()
 
-	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(args)
+	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(ctx, args)
 
 	// Phase 3. Install.
 	if *getD {
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ func runGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	work.InstallPackages(args, pkgs)
+	work.InstallPackages(ctx, args, pkgs)
 }
 
 // downloadPaths prepares the list of paths to pass to download.
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
index ef0a5a2f2d..3ec243a759 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/list/list.go
@@ -449,9 +449,9 @@ func runList(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	load.IgnoreImports = *listFind
 	var pkgs []*load.Package
 	if *listE {
-		pkgs = load.PackagesAndErrors(args)
+		pkgs = load.PackagesAndErrors(ctx, args)
 	} else {
-		pkgs = load.Packages(args)
+		pkgs = load.Packages(ctx, args)
 		base.ExitIfErrors()
 	}
 
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ func runList(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 				a.Deps = append(a.Deps, b.AutoAction(work.ModeInstall, work.ModeInstall, p))
 			}
 		}
-		b.Do(a)
+		b.Do(ctx, a)
 	}
 
 	for _, p := range pkgs {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go
index 2b5fbb1c5b..32c2ba7912 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/load/pkg.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package load
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"cmd/go/internal/par"
 	"cmd/go/internal/search"
 	"cmd/go/internal/str"
+	"cmd/go/internal/trace"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -2123,9 +2125,9 @@ func LoadImportWithFlags(path, srcDir string, parent *Package, stk *ImportStack,
 // to load dependencies of a named package, the named
 // package is still returned, with p.Incomplete = true
 // and details in p.DepsErrors.
-func Packages(args []string) []*Package {
+func Packages(ctx context.Context, args []string) []*Package {
 	var pkgs []*Package
-	for _, pkg := range PackagesAndErrors(args) {
+	for _, pkg := range PackagesAndErrors(ctx, args) {
 		if pkg.Error != nil {
 			base.Errorf("%v", pkg.Error)
 			continue
@@ -2139,7 +2141,10 @@ func Packages(args []string) []*Package {
 // *Package for every argument, even the ones that
 // cannot be loaded at all.
 // The packages that fail to load will have p.Error != nil.
-func PackagesAndErrors(patterns []string) []*Package {
+func PackagesAndErrors(ctx context.Context, patterns []string) []*Package {
+	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "load.PackagesAndErrors")
+	defer span.Done()
+
 	for _, p := range patterns {
 		// Listing is only supported with all patterns referring to either:
 		// - Files that are part of the same directory.
@@ -2233,8 +2238,8 @@ func ImportPaths(args []string) []*search.Match {
 // PackagesForBuild is like Packages but exits
 // if any of the packages or their dependencies have errors
 // (cannot be built).
-func PackagesForBuild(args []string) []*Package {
-	pkgs := PackagesAndErrors(args)
+func PackagesForBuild(ctx context.Context, args []string) []*Package {
+	pkgs := PackagesAndErrors(ctx, args)
 	printed := map[*PackageError]bool{}
 	for _, pkg := range pkgs {
 		if pkg.Error != nil {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go
index 9836a3e2cc..b217196931 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modget/get.go
@@ -715,8 +715,8 @@ func runGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		return
 	}
 	work.BuildInit()
-	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(pkgPatterns)
-	work.InstallPackages(pkgPatterns, pkgs)
+	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(ctx, pkgPatterns)
+	work.InstallPackages(ctx, pkgPatterns, pkgs)
 }
 
 // runQueries looks up modules at target versions in parallel. Results will be
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/run/run.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/run/run.go
index ca2c3db92c..3630f68c54 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/run/run.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/run/run.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func runRun(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		}
 		p = load.GoFilesPackage(files)
 	} else if len(args) > 0 && !strings.HasPrefix(args[0], "-") {
-		pkgs := load.PackagesAndErrors(args[:1])
+		pkgs := load.PackagesAndErrors(ctx, args[:1])
 		if len(pkgs) == 0 {
 			base.Fatalf("go run: no packages loaded from %s", args[0])
 		}
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func runRun(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 	a1 := b.LinkAction(work.ModeBuild, work.ModeBuild, p)
 	a := &work.Action{Mode: "go run", Func: buildRunProgram, Args: cmdArgs, Deps: []*work.Action{a1}}
-	b.Do(a)
+	b.Do(ctx, a)
 }
 
 // buildRunProgram is the action for running a binary that has already
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/test/test.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/test/test.go
index 6648d4eab4..d71d339828 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/test/test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/test/test.go
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ func runTest(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	work.VetFlags = testVet.flags
 	work.VetExplicit = testVet.explicit
 
-	pkgs = load.PackagesForBuild(pkgArgs)
+	pkgs = load.PackagesForBuild(ctx, pkgArgs)
 	if len(pkgs) == 0 {
 		base.Fatalf("no packages to test")
 	}
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ func runTest(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		sort.Strings(all)
 
 		a := &work.Action{Mode: "go test -i"}
-		for _, p := range load.PackagesForBuild(all) {
+		for _, p := range load.PackagesForBuild(ctx, all) {
 			if cfg.BuildToolchainName == "gccgo" && p.Standard {
 				// gccgo's standard library packages
 				// can not be reinstalled.
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ func runTest(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 			}
 			a.Deps = append(a.Deps, b.CompileAction(work.ModeInstall, work.ModeInstall, p))
 		}
-		b.Do(a)
+		b.Do(ctx, a)
 		if !testC || a.Failed {
 			return
 		}
@@ -787,7 +787,7 @@ func runTest(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	b.Do(root)
+	b.Do(ctx, root)
 }
 
 // ensures that package p imports the named package
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/vet/vet.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/vet/vet.go
index 717ff2d0aa..58f392eb96 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/vet/vet.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/vet/vet.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func runVet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(pkgArgs)
+	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(ctx, pkgArgs)
 	if len(pkgs) == 0 {
 		base.Fatalf("no packages to vet")
 	}
@@ -93,5 +93,5 @@ func runVet(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 			root.Deps = append(root.Deps, b.VetAction(work.ModeBuild, work.ModeBuild, pxtest))
 		}
 	}
-	b.Do(root)
+	b.Do(ctx, root)
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go
index 2bbee43ab4..d020aa6e9f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"cmd/go/internal/cfg"
 	"cmd/go/internal/load"
 	"cmd/go/internal/search"
+	"cmd/go/internal/trace"
 )
 
 var CmdBuild = &base.Command{
@@ -350,7 +351,7 @@ func runBuild(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	var b Builder
 	b.Init()
 
-	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(args)
+	pkgs := load.PackagesForBuild(ctx, args)
 
 	explicitO := len(cfg.BuildO) > 0
 
@@ -379,7 +380,7 @@ func runBuild(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		depMode = ModeInstall
 	}
 
-	pkgs = omitTestOnly(pkgsFilter(load.Packages(args)))
+	pkgs = omitTestOnly(pkgsFilter(load.Packages(ctx, args)))
 
 	// Special case -o /dev/null by not writing at all.
 	if cfg.BuildO == os.DevNull {
@@ -409,7 +410,7 @@ func runBuild(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 			if len(a.Deps) == 0 {
 				base.Fatalf("go build: no main packages to build")
 			}
-			b.Do(a)
+			b.Do(ctx, a)
 			return
 		}
 		if len(pkgs) > 1 {
@@ -422,7 +423,7 @@ func runBuild(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 		p.Stale = true // must build - not up to date
 		p.StaleReason = "build -o flag in use"
 		a := b.AutoAction(ModeInstall, depMode, p)
-		b.Do(a)
+		b.Do(ctx, a)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -433,7 +434,7 @@ func runBuild(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	if cfg.BuildBuildmode == "shared" {
 		a = b.buildmodeShared(ModeBuild, depMode, args, pkgs, a)
 	}
-	b.Do(a)
+	b.Do(ctx, a)
 }
 
 var CmdInstall = &base.Command{
@@ -518,7 +519,7 @@ func libname(args []string, pkgs []*load.Package) (string, error) {
 
 func runInstall(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	BuildInit()
-	InstallPackages(args, load.PackagesForBuild(args))
+	InstallPackages(ctx, args, load.PackagesForBuild(ctx, args))
 }
 
 // omitTestOnly returns pkgs with test-only packages removed.
@@ -538,7 +539,10 @@ func omitTestOnly(pkgs []*load.Package) []*load.Package {
 	return list
 }
 
-func InstallPackages(patterns []string, pkgs []*load.Package) {
+func InstallPackages(ctx context.Context, patterns []string, pkgs []*load.Package) {
+	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "InstallPackages "+strings.Join(patterns, " "))
+	defer span.Done()
+
 	if cfg.GOBIN != "" && !filepath.IsAbs(cfg.GOBIN) {
 		base.Fatalf("cannot install, GOBIN must be an absolute path")
 	}
@@ -607,7 +611,7 @@ func InstallPackages(patterns []string, pkgs []*load.Package) {
 		a = b.buildmodeShared(ModeInstall, ModeInstall, patterns, pkgs, a)
 	}
 
-	b.Do(a)
+	b.Do(ctx, a)
 	base.ExitIfErrors()
 
 	// Success. If this command is 'go install' with no arguments
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go
index 071c9d2db9..3ea3293ae1 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ package work
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 	"cmd/go/internal/cfg"
 	"cmd/go/internal/load"
 	"cmd/go/internal/str"
+	"cmd/go/internal/trace"
 )
 
 // actionList returns the list of actions in the dag rooted at root
@@ -54,7 +56,10 @@ func actionList(root *Action) []*Action {
 }
 
 // do runs the action graph rooted at root.
-func (b *Builder) Do(root *Action) {
+func (b *Builder) Do(ctx context.Context, root *Action) {
+	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "exec.Builder.Do ("+root.Mode+" "+root.Target+")")
+	defer span.Done()
+
 	if !b.IsCmdList {
 		// If we're doing real work, take time at the end to trim the cache.
 		c := cache.Default()