diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/base/goflags.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/base/goflags.go
index f11f9a5d33..4da27550fd 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/base/goflags.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/base/goflags.go
@@ -130,3 +130,20 @@ func SetFromGOFLAGS(flags *flag.FlagSet) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// InGOFLAGS returns whether GOFLAGS contains the given flag, such as "-mod".
+func InGOFLAGS(flag string) bool {
+	for _, goflag := range GOFLAGS() {
+		name := goflag
+		if strings.HasPrefix(name, "--") {
+			name = name[1:]
+		}
+		if i := strings.Index(name, "="); i >= 0 {
+			name = name[:i]
+		}
+		if name == flag {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/version/version.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/version/version.go
index c2de8d326d..5aa0f8e7ed 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/version/version.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/version/version.go
@@ -54,7 +54,14 @@ var (
 
 func runVersion(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
 	if len(args) == 0 {
-		if *versionM || *versionV {
+		// If any of this command's flags were passed explicitly, error
+		// out, because they only make sense with arguments.
+		//
+		// Don't error if the flags came from GOFLAGS, since that can be
+		// a reasonable use case. For example, imagine GOFLAGS=-v to
+		// turn "verbose mode" on for all Go commands, which should not
+		// break "go version".
+		if (!base.InGOFLAGS("-m") && *versionM) || (!base.InGOFLAGS("-v") && *versionV) {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "go version: flags can only be used with arguments\n")
 			base.SetExitStatus(2)
 			return
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/init.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/init.go
index f78020032c..d71387d323 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/init.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/init.go
@@ -254,34 +254,18 @@ func buildModeInit() {
 	case "":
 		// Behavior will be determined automatically, as if no flag were passed.
 	case "readonly", "vendor", "mod":
-		if !cfg.ModulesEnabled && !inGOFLAGS("-mod") {
+		if !cfg.ModulesEnabled && !base.InGOFLAGS("-mod") {
 			base.Fatalf("build flag -mod=%s only valid when using modules", cfg.BuildMod)
 		}
 	default:
 		base.Fatalf("-mod=%s not supported (can be '', 'mod', 'readonly', or 'vendor')", cfg.BuildMod)
 	}
 	if !cfg.ModulesEnabled {
-		if cfg.ModCacheRW && !inGOFLAGS("-modcacherw") {
+		if cfg.ModCacheRW && !base.InGOFLAGS("-modcacherw") {
 			base.Fatalf("build flag -modcacherw only valid when using modules")
 		}
-		if cfg.ModFile != "" && !inGOFLAGS("-mod") {
+		if cfg.ModFile != "" && !base.InGOFLAGS("-mod") {
 			base.Fatalf("build flag -modfile only valid when using modules")
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-func inGOFLAGS(flag string) bool {
-	for _, goflag := range base.GOFLAGS() {
-		name := goflag
-		if strings.HasPrefix(name, "--") {
-			name = name[1:]
-		}
-		if i := strings.Index(name, "="); i >= 0 {
-			name = name[:i]
-		}
-		if name == flag {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/version.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/version.txt
index 81ca698620..8615a4aac5 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/version.txt
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/version.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ stderr 'with arguments'
 ! go version -v
 stderr 'with arguments'
 
+# Neither of the two flags above should be an issue via GOFLAGS.
+env GOFLAGS='-m -v'
+go version
+stdout '^go version'
+env GOFLAGS=
+
 env GO111MODULE=on
 # Skip the builds below if we are running in short mode.
 [short] skip