diff --git a/bin/check_go_path b/bin/check_go_path
index 229887043..589696466 100755
--- a/bin/check_go_path
+++ b/bin/check_go_path
@@ -7,11 +7,6 @@ if [ -z "$PWD" ]; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-if [ -z "$GOPATH" ]; then
-	echo "GOPATH not set, you must have go configured properly to install ipfs"
-	exit 1
-fi
-
 while [ ${#} -gt 1 ]; do
 	if [ "$PWD" = "$2" ]; then
 		exit 0
@@ -20,5 +15,5 @@ while [ ${#} -gt 1 ]; do
 done
 
 echo "go-ipfs must be built from within your \$GOPATH directory."
-echo "expected within '$GOPATH' but got '$PWD'"
+echo "expected within '$(go env GOPATH)' but got '$PWD'"
 exit 1
diff --git a/mk/golang.mk b/mk/golang.mk
index ebd8e19e0..26b1b2eb5 100644
--- a/mk/golang.mk
+++ b/mk/golang.mk
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 # golang utilities
 GO_MIN_VERSION = 1.9
 
+
 # pre-definitions
 GOCC ?= go
 GOTAGS ?=
 GOFLAGS ?=
 GOTFLAGS ?=
 
+# match Go's default GOPATH behaviour
+export GOPATH ?= $(shell $(GOCC) env GOPATH)
+
 DEPS_GO :=
 TEST_GO :=
 TEST_GO_BUILD :=