diff --git a/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim b/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim
index 77abe7e8..982beaa9 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "============================================================================
 "File:        gofmt.vim
-"Description: Check go syntax using gofmt
+"Description: Check go syntax using 'gofmt -l'
 "Maintainer:  Brandon Thomson <bt@brandonthomson.com>
 "License:     This program is free software. It comes without any warranty,
 "             to the extent permitted by applicable law. You can redistribute
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@
 "             Want To Public License, Version 2, as published by Sam Hocevar.
 "             See http://sam.zoy.org/wtfpl/COPYING for more details.
 "
+" This syntax checker does not reformat your source code.
+" Use a BufWritePre autocommand to that end:
+"   autocmd FileType go autocmd BufWritePre <buffer> Fmt
 "============================================================================
 function! SyntaxCheckers_go_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = 'gofmt %'
+    let makeprg = 'gofmt -l % 1>/dev/null'
     let errorformat = '%f:%l:%c: %m,%-G%.%#'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat, 'defaults': {'type': 'e'} })
 endfunction