diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/semver/semver.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/semver/semver.go
index d61c6b476a..4af7118e55 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/semver/semver.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/semver/semver.go
@@ -312,8 +312,9 @@ func compareInt(x, y string) int {
 	}
 	if x < y {
 		return -1
+	} else {
+		return +1
 	}
-	return +1
 }
 
 func comparePrerelease(x, y string) int {
@@ -352,8 +353,9 @@ func comparePrerelease(x, y string) int {
 			if ix != iy {
 				if ix {
 					return -1
+				} else {
+					return +1
 				}
-				return +1
 			}
 			if ix {
 				if len(dx) < len(dy) {
@@ -365,14 +367,16 @@ func comparePrerelease(x, y string) int {
 			}
 			if dx < dy {
 				return -1
+			} else {
+				return +1
 			}
-			return +1
 		}
 	}
 	if x == "" {
 		return -1
+	} else {
+		return +1
 	}
-	return +1
 }
 
 func nextIdent(x string) (dx, rest string) {