diff --git a/src/strconv/itoa.go b/src/strconv/itoa.go
index 394716ccd7..8afe7af251 100644
--- a/src/strconv/itoa.go
+++ b/src/strconv/itoa.go
@@ -57,11 +57,10 @@ func AppendUint(dst []byte, i uint64, base int) []byte {
 
 // small returns the string for an i with 0 <= i < nSmalls.
 func small(i int) string {
-	off := 0
 	if i < 10 {
-		off = 1
+		return digits[i : i+1]
 	}
-	return smallsString[i*2+off : i*2+2]
+	return smallsString[i*2 : i*2+2]
 }
 
 const nSmalls = 100
diff --git a/src/strconv/itoa_test.go b/src/strconv/itoa_test.go
index 89c2de6941..b5ee3aa828 100644
--- a/src/strconv/itoa_test.go
+++ b/src/strconv/itoa_test.go
@@ -200,10 +200,14 @@ func BenchmarkAppendUint(b *testing.B) {
 }
 
 func BenchmarkFormatIntSmall(b *testing.B) {
-	const smallInt = 42
-	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		s := FormatInt(smallInt, 10)
-		BenchSink += len(s)
+	smallInts := []int64{7, 42}
+	for _, smallInt := range smallInts {
+		b.Run(Itoa(int(smallInt)), func(b *testing.B) {
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				s := FormatInt(smallInt, 10)
+				BenchSink += len(s)
+			}
+		})
 	}
 }