diff --git a/src/net/http/pattern.go b/src/net/http/pattern.go
index 642715d91a..09a2699d8f 100644
--- a/src/net/http/pattern.go
+++ b/src/net/http/pattern.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ type segment struct {
 //     a literal or a wildcard of the form "{name}", "{name...}", or "{$}".
 //
 // METHOD, HOST and PATH are all optional; that is, the string can be "/".
-// If METHOD is present, it must be followed by at least one ' ' or '\t'.
+// If METHOD is present, it must be followed by at least one space or tab.
 // Wildcard names must be valid Go identifiers.
 // The "{$}" and "{name...}" wildcard must occur at the end of PATH.
 // PATH may end with a '/'.
diff --git a/src/net/http/server.go b/src/net/http/server.go
index 774ab63af6..7d73cca43f 100644
--- a/src/net/http/server.go
+++ b/src/net/http/server.go
@@ -2335,7 +2335,7 @@ func RedirectHandler(url string, code int) Handler {
 //	[METHOD ][HOST]/[PATH]
 //
 // All three parts are optional; "/" is a valid pattern.
-// If METHOD is present, it must be followed by at least one ' ' or '\t'.
+// If METHOD is present, it must be followed by at least one space or tab.
 //
 // Literal (that is, non-wildcard) parts of a pattern match
 // the corresponding parts of a request case-sensitively.