diff --git a/patches/alpine/README.txt b/patches/alpine/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c1e86f19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/alpine/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+All no-pic patches were based upon:
+https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker-library/golang/master/1.6/alpine/no-pic.patch
+https://raw.githubusercontent.com/docker-library/golang/master/1.7/alpine/no-pic.patch
+
+no-pic-1.4.patch was hand-crafted from the above, based upon:
+https://go.googlesource.com/go/+/go1.4.3/src/cmd/ld/lib.c
diff --git a/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.4.patch b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.4.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b99892d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.4.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/lib.c b/src/cmd/ld/lib.c
+--- a/src/cmd/ld/lib.c
++++ b/src/cmd/ld/lib.c
+@@ -692,6 +692,11 @@ hostlink(void) {
+ 		p = strchr(p + 1, ' ');
+ 	}
+
++	// The Go linker does not currently support building PIE
++	// executables when using the external linker. See:
++	// https://github.com/golang/go/issues/6940
++	argv[argc++] = "-fno-PIC";
++
+ 	argv[argc] = nil;
+
+ 	quotefmtinstall();
diff --git a/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.5.patch b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.5.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..82ba80b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.5.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
++++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+@@ -1071,6 +1071,11 @@ func hostlink() {
+ 		argv = append(argv, peimporteddlls()...)
+ 	}
+ 
++	// The Go linker does not currently support building PIE
++	// executables when using the external linker. See:
++	// https://github.com/golang/go/issues/6940
++	argv = append(argv, "-fno-PIC")
++
+ 	if Debug['v'] != 0 {
+ 		fmt.Fprintf(&Bso, "host link:")
+ 		for _, v := range argv {
diff --git a/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.6.patch b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.6.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db1f809d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.6.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+index 8ccbec9dd634..4e96bfadc260 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
++++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+@@ -1194,6 +1194,11 @@ func hostlink() {
+ 		argv = append(argv, peimporteddlls()...)
+ 	}
+ 
++	// The Go linker does not currently support building PIE
++	// executables when using the external linker. See:
++	// https://github.com/golang/go/issues/6940
++	argv = append(argv, "-fno-PIC")
++
+ 	if Debug['v'] != 0 {
+ 		fmt.Fprintf(&Bso, "host link:")
+ 		for _, v := range argv {
diff --git a/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.7.patch b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.7.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b10f2905
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.7.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+index 14f4fa9..5599307 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
++++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+@@ -1272,6 +1272,11 @@ func hostlink() {
+ 		argv = append(argv, peimporteddlls()...)
+ 	}
+ 
++	// The Go linker does not currently support building PIE
++	// executables when using the external linker. See:
++	// https://github.com/golang/go/issues/6940
++	argv = append(argv, "-fno-PIC")
++
+ 	if Debug['v'] != 0 {
+ 		fmt.Fprintf(Bso, "host link:")
+ 		for _, v := range argv {
diff --git a/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.8.patch b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.8.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b10f2905
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/alpine/no-pic-go1.8.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+index 14f4fa9..5599307 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
++++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+@@ -1272,6 +1272,11 @@ func hostlink() {
+ 		argv = append(argv, peimporteddlls()...)
+ 	}
+ 
++	// The Go linker does not currently support building PIE
++	// executables when using the external linker. See:
++	// https://github.com/golang/go/issues/6940
++	argv = append(argv, "-fno-PIC")
++
+ 	if Debug['v'] != 0 {
+ 		fmt.Fprintf(Bso, "host link:")
+ 		for _, v := range argv {
diff --git a/patches/release-branch.go1.4.patch b/patches/release-branch.go1.4.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..941f3ee6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/release-branch.go1.4.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,327 @@
+This was generated via:
+
+ git clone https://go.googlesource.com/go archive/go
+ cd archive/go
+ git diff go1.4.3..origin/release-branch.go1.4 >
+   ../../patches/release-branch.go1.4.patch 
+
+The branch tip was: 79d85a4965ea7c46db483314c3981751909d7883
+from October 14, 2016.
+
+The diff for the VERSION file was removed.
+
+This is most needed to build a bootstrap Go version 1.4.3 on macOS 10.12.1 per:
+https://github.com/golang/go/issues/16352#issuecomment-255835099
+diff --git a/src/cmd/6l/asm.c b/src/cmd/6l/asm.c
+index 18b5aa3119..2e9d339aef 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/6l/asm.c
++++ b/src/cmd/6l/asm.c
+@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ adddynrel(LSym *s, Reloc *r)
+ 		return;
+ 	
+ 	case 256 + R_X86_64_GOTPCREL:
++	case 256 + R_X86_64_GOTPCRELX:
++	case 256 + R_X86_64_REX_GOTPCRELX:
+ 		if(targ->type != SDYNIMPORT) {
+ 			// have symbol
+ 			if(r->off >= 2 && s->p[r->off-2] == 0x8b) {
+diff --git a/src/cmd/8l/asm.c b/src/cmd/8l/asm.c
+index 98c0424037..cff29488e8 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/8l/asm.c
++++ b/src/cmd/8l/asm.c
+@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ adddynrel(LSym *s, Reloc *r)
+ 		return;		
+ 	
+ 	case 256 + R_386_GOT32:
++	case 256 + R_386_GOT32X:
+ 		if(targ->type != SDYNIMPORT) {
+ 			// have symbol
+ 			if(r->off >= 2 && s->p[r->off-2] == 0x8b) {
+diff --git a/src/cmd/api/run.go b/src/cmd/api/run.go
+index ed5613edd2..202106b805 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/api/run.go
++++ b/src/cmd/api/run.go
+@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ const goToolsVersion = "6698ca2900e2"
+ var goroot string
+ 
+ func main() {
++	// Go 1.4 will never have new API, and the code below has bit-rotted.
++	fmt.Println("Skipping cmd/api checks")
++	return
++
+ 	log.SetFlags(0)
+ 	goroot = os.Getenv("GOROOT") // should be set by run.{bash,bat}
+ 	if goroot == "" {
+diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/elf.h b/src/cmd/ld/elf.h
+index e84d996f25..e909a828d1 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/ld/elf.h
++++ b/src/cmd/ld/elf.h
+@@ -502,8 +502,9 @@ typedef struct {
+ #define	R_X86_64_DTPOFF32 21	/* Offset in TLS block */
+ #define	R_X86_64_GOTTPOFF 22	/* PC relative offset to IE GOT entry */
+ #define	R_X86_64_TPOFF32 23	/* Offset in static TLS block */
+-
+-#define	R_X86_64_COUNT	24	/* Count of defined relocation types. */
++#define	R_X86_64_GOTPCRELX	41
++#define	R_X86_64_REX_GOTPCRELX	42
++#define	R_X86_64_COUNT	26	/* Count of defined relocation types. */
+ 
+ 
+ #define	R_ALPHA_NONE		0	/* No reloc */
+@@ -612,8 +613,9 @@ typedef struct {
+ #define	R_386_TLS_DTPMOD32 35	/* GOT entry containing TLS index */
+ #define	R_386_TLS_DTPOFF32 36	/* GOT entry containing TLS offset */
+ #define	R_386_TLS_TPOFF32 37	/* GOT entry of -ve static TLS offset */
++#define	R_386_GOT32X 43
+ 
+-#define	R_386_COUNT	38	/* Count of defined relocation types. */
++#define	R_386_COUNT	39	/* Count of defined relocation types. */
+ 
+ #define	R_PPC_NONE		0	/* No relocation. */
+ #define	R_PPC_ADDR32		1
+diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/ldelf.c b/src/cmd/ld/ldelf.c
+index dd5fa0d2a8..2e2fbd1737 100644
+--- a/src/cmd/ld/ldelf.c
++++ b/src/cmd/ld/ldelf.c
+@@ -888,12 +888,15 @@ reltype(char *pn, int elftype, uchar *siz)
+ 	case R('6', R_X86_64_PC32):
+ 	case R('6', R_X86_64_PLT32):
+ 	case R('6', R_X86_64_GOTPCREL):
++	case R('6', R_X86_64_GOTPCRELX):
++	case R('6', R_X86_64_REX_GOTPCRELX):
+ 	case R('8', R_386_32):
+ 	case R('8', R_386_PC32):
+ 	case R('8', R_386_GOT32):
+ 	case R('8', R_386_PLT32):
+ 	case R('8', R_386_GOTOFF):
+ 	case R('8', R_386_GOTPC):
++	case R('8', R_386_GOT32X):
+ 		*siz = 4;
+ 		break;
+ 	case R('6', R_X86_64_64):
+diff --git a/src/runtime/sys_darwin_386.s b/src/runtime/sys_darwin_386.s
+index a961c71a83..3ae60eb8cc 100644
+--- a/src/runtime/sys_darwin_386.s
++++ b/src/runtime/sys_darwin_386.s
+@@ -182,11 +182,17 @@ timeloop:
+ 
+ systime:
+ 	// Fall back to system call (usually first call in this thread)
+-	LEAL	12(SP), AX	// must be non-nil, unused
++	LEAL	16(SP), AX	// must be non-nil, unused
+ 	MOVL	AX, 4(SP)
+ 	MOVL	$0, 8(SP)	// time zone pointer
++	MOVL	$0, 12(SP)	// required as of Sierra; Issue 16570
+ 	MOVL	$116, AX
+ 	INT	$0x80
++	CMPL	AX, $0
++	JNE	inreg
++	MOVL	16(SP), AX
++	MOVL	20(SP), DX
++inreg:
+ 	// sec is in AX, usec in DX
+ 	// convert to DX:AX nsec
+ 	MOVL	DX, BX
+diff --git a/src/runtime/sys_darwin_amd64.s b/src/runtime/sys_darwin_amd64.s
+index bd397d72a7..fe9f38490f 100644
+--- a/src/runtime/sys_darwin_amd64.s
++++ b/src/runtime/sys_darwin_amd64.s
+@@ -141,10 +141,16 @@ timeloop:
+ 
+ systime:
+ 	// Fall back to system call (usually first call in this thread).
+-	MOVQ	SP, DI	// must be non-nil, unused
++	MOVQ	SP, DI
+ 	MOVQ	$0, SI
++	MOVQ	$0, DX  // required as of Sierra; Issue 16570
+ 	MOVL	$(0x2000000+116), AX
+ 	SYSCALL
++	CMPQ	AX, $0
++	JNE	inreg
++	MOVQ	0(SP), AX
++	MOVL	8(SP), DX
++inreg:
+ 	// sec is in AX, usec in DX
+ 	// return nsec in AX
+ 	IMULQ	$1000000000, AX
+diff --git a/src/runtime/sys_linux_386.s b/src/runtime/sys_linux_386.s
+index 0f6d4bbb5e..f9dec7597c 100644
+--- a/src/runtime/sys_linux_386.s
++++ b/src/runtime/sys_linux_386.s
+@@ -379,9 +379,18 @@ TEXT runtime·sigaltstack(SB),NOSPLIT,$-8
+ #define SEG_NOT_PRESENT 0x20
+ #define USEABLE 0x40
+ 
++// `-1` means the kernel will pick a TLS entry on the first setldt call,
++// which happens during runtime init, and that we'll store back the saved
++// entry and reuse that on subsequent calls when creating new threads.
++DATA  runtime·tls_entry_number+0(SB)/4, $-1
++GLOBL runtime·tls_entry_number(SB), NOPTR, $4
++
+ // setldt(int entry, int address, int limit)
++// We use set_thread_area, which mucks with the GDT, instead of modify_ldt,
++// which would modify the LDT, but is disabled on some kernels.
++// The name, setldt, is a misnomer, although we leave this name as it is for
++// the compatibility with other platforms.
+ TEXT runtime·setldt(SB),NOSPLIT,$32
+-	MOVL	entry+0(FP), BX	// entry
+ 	MOVL	address+4(FP), CX	// base address
+ 
+ 	/*
+@@ -400,18 +409,19 @@ TEXT runtime·setldt(SB),NOSPLIT,$32
+ 	ADDL	$0x8, CX	// address
+ 	MOVL	CX, 0(CX)
+ 
++	// get entry number
++	MOVL    runtime·tls_entry_number(SB), DX
++
+ 	// set up user_desc
+ 	LEAL	16(SP), AX	// struct user_desc
+-	MOVL	BX, 0(AX)
+-	MOVL	CX, 4(AX)
+-	MOVL	$0xfffff, 8(AX)
++	MOVL    DX, 0(AX)	// unsigned int entry_number
++	MOVL    CX, 4(AX)	// unsigned long base_addr
++	MOVL    $0xfffff, 8(AX)	// unsigned int limit
+ 	MOVL	$(SEG_32BIT|LIMIT_IN_PAGES|USEABLE|CONTENTS_DATA), 12(AX)	// flag bits
+ 
+-	// call modify_ldt
+-	MOVL	$1, BX	// func = 1 (write)
+-	MOVL	AX, CX	// user_desc
+-	MOVL	$16, DX	// sizeof(user_desc)
+-	MOVL	$123, AX	// syscall - modify_ldt
++	// call set_thread_area
++	MOVL    AX, BX		// user_desc
++	MOVL    $243, AX	// syscall - set_thread_area
+ 	CALL	*runtime·_vdso(SB)
+ 
+ 	// breakpoint on error
+@@ -419,10 +429,18 @@ TEXT runtime·setldt(SB),NOSPLIT,$32
+ 	JLS 2(PC)
+ 	INT $3
+ 
+-	// compute segment selector - (entry*8+7)
+-	MOVL	entry+0(FP), AX
++	// read allocated entry number back out of user_desc
++	LEAL    16(SP), AX	// get our user_desc back
++	MOVL    0(AX), AX
++
++	// store entry number if the kernel allocated it
++	CMPL    DX, $-1
++	JNE 2(PC)
++	MOVL    AX, runtime·tls_entry_number(SB)
++
++	// compute segment selector - (entry*8+3)
+ 	SHLL	$3, AX
+-	ADDL	$7, AX
++	ADDL    $3, AX
+ 	MOVW	AX, GS
+ 
+ 	RET
+diff --git a/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_386.go b/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_386.go
+index 2074e7ac2e..f75de000bd 100644
+--- a/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_386.go
++++ b/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_386.go
+@@ -26,14 +26,21 @@ func NsecToTimeval(nsec int64) (tv Timeval) {
+ }
+ 
+ //sysnb	gettimeofday(tp *Timeval) (sec int32, usec int32, err error)
+-func Gettimeofday(tv *Timeval) (err error) {
+-	// The tv passed to gettimeofday must be non-nil
+-	// but is otherwise unused.  The answers come back
+-	// in the two registers.
++func Gettimeofday(tv *Timeval) error {
++	// The tv passed to gettimeofday must be non-nil.
++	// Before macOS Sierra (10.12), tv was otherwise unused and
++	// the answers came back in the two registers.
++	// As of Sierra, gettimeofday return zeros and populates
++	// tv itself.
+ 	sec, usec, err := gettimeofday(tv)
+-	tv.Sec = int32(sec)
+-	tv.Usec = int32(usec)
+-	return err
++	if err != nil {
++		return err
++	}
++	if sec != 0 || usec != 0 {
++		tv.Sec = int32(sec)
++		tv.Usec = int32(usec)
++	}
++	return nil
+ }
+ 
+ func SetKevent(k *Kevent_t, fd, mode, flags int) {
+diff --git a/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_amd64.go b/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_amd64.go
+index 81b1fd3d2b..711d08d2ff 100644
+--- a/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_amd64.go
++++ b/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_amd64.go
+@@ -26,14 +26,21 @@ func NsecToTimeval(nsec int64) (tv Timeval) {
+ }
+ 
+ //sysnb	gettimeofday(tp *Timeval) (sec int64, usec int32, err error)
+-func Gettimeofday(tv *Timeval) (err error) {
+-	// The tv passed to gettimeofday must be non-nil
+-	// but is otherwise unused.  The answers come back
+-	// in the two registers.
++func Gettimeofday(tv *Timeval) error {
++	// The tv passed to gettimeofday must be non-nil.
++	// Before macOS Sierra (10.12), tv was otherwise unused and
++	// the answers came back in the two registers.
++	// As of Sierra, gettimeofday return zeros and populates
++	// tv itself.
+ 	sec, usec, err := gettimeofday(tv)
+-	tv.Sec = sec
+-	tv.Usec = usec
+-	return err
++	if err != nil {
++		return err
++	}
++	if sec != 0 || usec != 0 {
++		tv.Sec = sec
++		tv.Usec = usec
++	}
++	return nil
+ }
+ 
+ func SetKevent(k *Kevent_t, fd, mode, flags int) {
+diff --git a/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_test.go b/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_test.go
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000000..dd0e32b968
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/src/syscall/syscall_darwin_test.go
+@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
++// Copyright 2016 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
++// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
++// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
++
++// +build darwin
++// +build amd64 386
++
++package syscall_test
++
++import (
++	"syscall"
++	"testing"
++)
++
++func TestDarwinGettimeofday(t *testing.T) {
++	tv := &syscall.Timeval{}
++	if err := syscall.Gettimeofday(tv); err != nil {
++		t.Fatal(err)
++	}
++	if tv.Sec == 0 && tv.Usec == 0 {
++		t.Fatal("Sec and Usec both zero")
++	}
++}
+diff --git a/src/time/time_test.go b/src/time/time_test.go
+index 7e31dd78a9..b438817608 100644
+--- a/src/time/time_test.go
++++ b/src/time/time_test.go
+@@ -915,6 +915,7 @@ func TestCountMallocs(t *testing.T) {
+ }
+ 
+ func TestLoadFixed(t *testing.T) {
++	t.Skip("skipping test for Go 1.4; Issue 17545")
+ 	// Issue 4064: handle locations without any zone transitions.
+ 	loc, err := LoadLocation("Etc/GMT+1")
+ 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/scripts/install b/scripts/install
index 4397398c..58b7fc40 100755
--- a/scripts/install
+++ b/scripts/install
@@ -92,6 +92,31 @@ compile_go() {
 		(rm -rf "$GO_INSTALL_ROOT" && display_fatal "Failed to compile. Check the logs at $GVM_ROOT/logs/go-$GO_NAME-compile.log")
 }
 
+apply_patches() {
+	cd "$GO_INSTALL_ROOT/src" ||
+		display_fatal "Couldn't cd into $GO_INSTALL_ROOT/src"
+
+	minor_version="${VERSION:0:5}"
+	patch_dir="$GVM_ROOT/patches"
+	patches=()
+
+	release_branch_patch="${patch_dir}/release-branch.${minor_version}.patch"
+	if [ -f "$release_branch_patch" ]; then
+		patches+=("$release_branch_patch")
+	fi
+	if [ -f "/etc/apk/repositories" ]; then
+		patches+=("${patch_dir}/alpine/no-pic-${minor_version}.patch")
+	fi
+
+	for patch_file in "${patches[@]}"; do
+		display_message "Applying $patch_file..."
+		if ! patch -p2 <"$patch_file"; then
+			display_error "Failed to apply $patch_file"
+			return
+		fi
+	done
+}
+
 create_enviroment() {
 	new_env_file=$GVM_ROOT/environments/$GO_NAME
 	echo "export GVM_ROOT; GVM_ROOT=\"$GVM_ROOT\"" > "$new_env_file"
@@ -145,6 +170,7 @@ install_go() {
 
 	create_global_package_set
 	copy_source
+	apply_patches
 	compile_go
 	create_enviroment