diff --git a/src/net/dial_gen.go b/src/net/dial_gen.go
index 654ef9383a..3816844b26 100644
--- a/src/net/dial_gen.go
+++ b/src/net/dial_gen.go
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ import "time"
 // used on operating systems where the deadline hasn't been pushed
 // down into the pollserver. (Plan 9 and some old versions of Windows)
 func dialChannel(net string, ra Addr, dialer func(time.Time) (Conn, error), deadline time.Time) (Conn, error) {
-	var timeout time.Duration
-	if !deadline.IsZero() {
-		timeout = deadline.Sub(time.Now())
-	}
-	if timeout <= 0 {
+	if deadline.IsZero() {
 		return dialer(noDeadline)
 	}
+	timeout := deadline.Sub(time.Now())
+	if timeout <= 0 {
+		return nil, &OpError{Op: "dial", Net: net, Addr: ra, Err: errTimeout}
+	}
 	t := time.NewTimer(timeout)
 	defer t.Stop()
 	type racer struct {
diff --git a/src/net/timeout_test.go b/src/net/timeout_test.go
index b46321b13b..361f822d9e 100644
--- a/src/net/timeout_test.go
+++ b/src/net/timeout_test.go
@@ -682,11 +682,6 @@ func TestAcceptDeadlineConnectionAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 // TestConnectDeadlineInThePast tests that connect deadlines work, even
 // if the connection can be established w/o blocking.
 func TestConnectDeadlineInThePast(t *testing.T) {
-	switch runtime.GOOS {
-	case "plan9":
-		t.Skipf("skipping test on %q", runtime.GOOS)
-	}
-
 	ln := newLocalListener(t).(*TCPListener)
 	defer ln.Close()