diff --git a/src/net/http/clientserver_test.go b/src/net/http/clientserver_test.go
index e12ea0c8c45b4..8caba285bdd76 100644
--- a/src/net/http/clientserver_test.go
+++ b/src/net/http/clientserver_test.go
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ func TestH12_RequestContentLength_Known_NonZero(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestH12_RequestContentLength_Known_Zero(t *testing.T) {
-	h12requestContentLength(t, func() io.Reader { return strings.NewReader("") }, 0)
+	h12requestContentLength(t, func() io.Reader { return nil }, 0)
 }
 
 func TestH12_RequestContentLength_Unknown(t *testing.T) {