diff --git a/src/net/url/url.go b/src/net/url/url.go
index b7e8beec75..5f40555bdc 100644
--- a/src/net/url/url.go
+++ b/src/net/url/url.go
@@ -276,8 +276,8 @@ func QueryEscape(s string) string {
 	return escape(s, encodeQueryComponent)
 }
 
-// PathEscape escapes the string so it can be safely placed
-// inside a URL path segment.
+// PathEscape escapes the string so it can be safely placed inside a URL path segment,
+// replacing special characters (including /) with %XX sequences as needed.
 func PathEscape(s string) string {
 	return escape(s, encodePathSegment)
 }
diff --git a/src/net/url/url_test.go b/src/net/url/url_test.go
index c5fc90d515..27e132b1cd 100644
--- a/src/net/url/url_test.go
+++ b/src/net/url/url_test.go
@@ -929,6 +929,11 @@ var pathEscapeTests = []EscapeTest{
 		"abc+def",
 		nil,
 	},
+	{
+		"a/b",
+		"a%2Fb",
+		nil,
+	},
 	{
 		"one two",
 		"one%20two",