diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build_test.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build_test.go
index 3f811ddc82..d68711432b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build_test.go
@@ -195,8 +195,13 @@ func TestRespectGroupSticky(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer os.RemoveAll(stickydir)
 
-	// Change stickydir's permissions to include group sticky bit.
-	if err := os.Chmod(stickydir, 0755|os.ModeSetgid); err != nil {
+	testdir, err := ioutil.TempDir(stickydir, "testdir")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Change testdir's permissions to include group sticky bit.
+	if err := os.Chmod(testdir, 0755|os.ModeSetgid); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
@@ -207,7 +212,7 @@ func TestRespectGroupSticky(t *testing.T) {
 	defer os.Remove(pkgfile.Name())
 	defer pkgfile.Close()
 
-	stickyFile := filepath.Join(stickydir, "sticky")
+	stickyFile := filepath.Join(testdir, "sticky")
 	if err := b.moveOrCopyFile(nil, stickyFile, pkgfile.Name(), 0666, true); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("moveOrCopyFile: %v", err)
 	}