diff --git a/cmd/vet/deadcode.go b/cmd/vet/deadcode.go
index ade75b0b71..3b306c2104 100644
--- a/cmd/vet/deadcode.go
+++ b/cmd/vet/deadcode.go
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ func (d *deadState) findLabels(stmt ast.Stmt) {
 	case *ast.BranchStmt:
 		switch x.Tok {
 		case token.GOTO:
-			d.hasGoto[x.Label.Name] = true
+			if x.Label != nil {
+				d.hasGoto[x.Label.Name] = true
+			}
 
 		case token.BREAK:
 			stmt := d.breakTarget
diff --git a/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go b/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go
index 3028c98bc3..5370bc32f6 100644
--- a/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go
+++ b/cmd/vet/testdata/deadcode.go
@@ -2118,3 +2118,8 @@ var _ = func() int {
 	}
 	println() // ok
 }
+
+var _ = func() {
+	// goto without label used to panic
+	goto
+}