diff --git a/helpers/build-release-binaries/main.go b/helpers/build-release-binaries/main.go
index f9e25e447..95ca76617 100644
--- a/helpers/build-release-binaries/main.go
+++ b/helpers/build-release-binaries/main.go
@@ -56,16 +56,6 @@ func verbose(f string, args ...interface{}) {
 	fmt.Printf(f, args...)
 }
 
-func run(cmd string, args ...string) {
-	c := exec.Command(cmd, args...)
-	c.Stdout = os.Stdout
-	c.Stderr = os.Stderr
-	err := c.Run()
-	if err != nil {
-		die("error running %s %s: %v", cmd, args, err)
-	}
-}
-
 func rm(file string) {
 	err := os.Remove(file)
 
@@ -78,13 +68,6 @@ func rm(file string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func rmdir(dir string) {
-	err := os.RemoveAll(dir)
-	if err != nil {
-		die("error removing %v: %v", dir, err)
-	}
-}
-
 func mkdir(dir string) {
 	err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0755)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -92,14 +75,6 @@ func mkdir(dir string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func getwd() string {
-	pwd, err := os.Getwd()
-	if err != nil {
-		die("Getwd(): %v", err)
-	}
-	return pwd
-}
-
 func abs(dir string) string {
 	absDir, err := filepath.Abs(dir)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/backend/azure/config.go b/internal/backend/azure/config.go
index 15a2e5cf9..66f0125e4 100644
--- a/internal/backend/azure/config.go
+++ b/internal/backend/azure/config.go
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@ func ParseConfig(s string) (interface{}, error) {
 		return nil, errors.New("azure: invalid format: bucket name or path not found")
 	}
 	container, path := data[0], path.Clean(data[1])
-	if strings.HasPrefix(path, "/") {
-		path = path[1:]
-	}
+	path = strings.TrimPrefix(path, "/")
 	cfg := NewConfig()
 	cfg.Container = container
 	cfg.Prefix = path
diff --git a/internal/backend/gs/config.go b/internal/backend/gs/config.go
index e18066ef9..026ef3dfd 100644
--- a/internal/backend/gs/config.go
+++ b/internal/backend/gs/config.go
@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ func ParseConfig(s string) (interface{}, error) {
 
 	bucket, path := data[0], path.Clean(data[1])
 
-	if strings.HasPrefix(path, "/") {
-		path = path[1:]
-	}
+	path = strings.TrimPrefix(path, "/")
 
 	cfg := NewConfig()
 	cfg.Bucket = bucket
diff --git a/internal/backend/layout_test.go b/internal/backend/layout_test.go
index 0c52b32bc..09b6e80c2 100644
--- a/internal/backend/layout_test.go
+++ b/internal/backend/layout_test.go
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ func TestDefaultLayout(t *testing.T) {
 			want = append(want, filepath.Join(tempdir, "data", fmt.Sprintf("%02x", i)))
 		}
 
-		sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(want))
-		sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(dirs))
+		sort.Strings(want)
+		sort.Strings(dirs)
 
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(dirs, want) {
 			t.Fatalf("wrong paths returned, want:\n  %v\ngot:\n  %v", want, dirs)
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ func TestRESTLayout(t *testing.T) {
 			filepath.Join(path, "keys"),
 		}
 
-		sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(want))
-		sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(dirs))
+		sort.Strings(want)
+		sort.Strings(dirs)
 
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(dirs, want) {
 			t.Fatalf("wrong paths returned, want:\n  %v\ngot:\n  %v", want, dirs)
@@ -335,8 +335,8 @@ func TestS3LegacyLayout(t *testing.T) {
 			filepath.Join(path, "key"),
 		}
 
-		sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(want))
-		sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(dirs))
+		sort.Strings(want)
+		sort.Strings(dirs)
 
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(dirs, want) {
 			t.Fatalf("wrong paths returned, want:\n  %v\ngot:\n  %v", want, dirs)
diff --git a/internal/backend/local/local.go b/internal/backend/local/local.go
index 6792241e1..4dbee8a6b 100644
--- a/internal/backend/local/local.go
+++ b/internal/backend/local/local.go
@@ -25,25 +25,6 @@ var _ restic.Backend = &Local{}
 
 const defaultLayout = "default"
 
-// dirExists returns true if the name exists and is a directory.
-func dirExists(name string) bool {
-	f, err := fs.Open(name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false
-	}
-
-	fi, err := f.Stat()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false
-	}
-
-	if err = f.Close(); err != nil {
-		return false
-	}
-
-	return fi.IsDir()
-}
-
 // Open opens the local backend as specified by config.
 func Open(cfg Config) (*Local, error) {
 	debug.Log("open local backend at %v (layout %q)", cfg.Path, cfg.Layout)
diff --git a/internal/backend/s3/s3.go b/internal/backend/s3/s3.go
index e3c95001d..02eda53be 100644
--- a/internal/backend/s3/s3.go
+++ b/internal/backend/s3/s3.go
@@ -231,22 +231,6 @@ func (be *Backend) Path() string {
 	return be.cfg.Prefix
 }
 
-// lenForFile returns the length of the file.
-func lenForFile(f *os.File) (int64, error) {
-	fi, err := f.Stat()
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, errors.Wrap(err, "Stat")
-	}
-
-	pos, err := f.Seek(0, io.SeekCurrent)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, errors.Wrap(err, "Seek")
-	}
-
-	size := fi.Size() - pos
-	return size, nil
-}
-
 // Save stores data in the backend at the handle.
 func (be *Backend) Save(ctx context.Context, h restic.Handle, rd restic.RewindReader) error {
 	debug.Log("Save %v", h)
diff --git a/internal/backend/swift/swift.go b/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
index dd83e0b06..58f061d59 100644
--- a/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
+++ b/internal/backend/swift/swift.go
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ncw/swift"
 )
 
-const connLimit = 10
-
 // beSwift is a backend which stores the data on a swift endpoint.
 type beSwift struct {
 	conn      *swift.Connection
diff --git a/internal/cache/cache.go b/internal/cache/cache.go
index fd5743b94..ca59b0dc0 100644
--- a/internal/cache/cache.go
+++ b/internal/cache/cache.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ type Cache struct {
 }
 
 const dirMode = 0700
-const fileMode = 0600
+const fileMode = 0644
 
 func readVersion(dir string) (v uint, err error) {
 	buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "version"))
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func writeCachedirTag(dir string) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "Lstat")
 	}
 
-	f, err := fs.OpenFile(tagfile, os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
+	f, err := fs.OpenFile(tagfile, os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL|os.O_WRONLY, fileMode)
 	if err != nil {
 		if os.IsExist(errors.Cause(err)) {
 			return nil
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func New(id string, basedir string) (c *Cache, err error) {
 	}
 
 	if v < cacheVersion {
-		err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(cachedir, "version"), []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%d", cacheVersion)), 0644)
+		err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(cachedir, "version"), []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%d", cacheVersion)), fileMode)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "WriteFile")
 		}
@@ -175,11 +175,7 @@ const MaxCacheAge = 30 * 24 * time.Hour
 
 func validCacheDirName(s string) bool {
 	r := regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-fA-F0-9]{64}$`)
-	if !r.MatchString(s) {
-		return false
-	}
-
-	return true
+	return r.MatchString(s)
 }
 
 // listCacheDirs returns the list of cache directories.
diff --git a/internal/cache/file.go b/internal/cache/file.go
index 36c38ba97..52a767665 100644
--- a/internal/cache/file.go
+++ b/internal/cache/file.go
@@ -214,9 +214,5 @@ func (c *Cache) Has(h restic.Handle) bool {
 	}
 
 	_, err := fs.Stat(c.filename(h))
-	if err == nil {
-		return true
-	}
-
-	return false
+	return err == nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/fs/fs_reader_test.go b/internal/fs/fs_reader_test.go
index bb45732f3..173aec10d 100644
--- a/internal/fs/fs_reader_test.go
+++ b/internal/fs/fs_reader_test.go
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ func verifyDirectoryContents(t testing.TB, fs FS, dir string, want []string) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(want))
-	sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(entries))
+	sort.Strings(want)
+	sort.Strings(entries)
 
 	if !cmp.Equal(want, entries) {
 		t.Error(cmp.Diff(want, entries))
diff --git a/internal/options/options.go b/internal/options/options.go
index 2a3be2254..f03eb6097 100644
--- a/internal/options/options.go
+++ b/internal/options/options.go
@@ -22,10 +22,8 @@ func Register(ns string, cfg interface{}) {
 
 // List returns a list of all registered options (using Register()).
 func List() (list []Help) {
-	list = make([]Help, 0, len(opts))
-	for _, opt := range opts {
-		list = append(list, opt)
-	}
+	list = make([]Help, len(opts))
+	copy(list, opts)
 	return list
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/restic/node.go b/internal/restic/node.go
index 95f209113..260e5da2a 100644
--- a/internal/restic/node.go
+++ b/internal/restic/node.go
@@ -696,8 +696,3 @@ func (node *Node) fillTimes(stat statT) {
 	node.ChangeTime = time.Unix(ctim.Unix())
 	node.AccessTime = time.Unix(atim.Unix())
 }
-
-func changeTime(stat statT) time.Time {
-	ctim := stat.ctim()
-	return time.Unix(ctim.Unix())
-}
diff --git a/internal/restic/tag_list.go b/internal/restic/tag_list.go
index 0f8232e5b..553ea332c 100644
--- a/internal/restic/tag_list.go
+++ b/internal/restic/tag_list.go
@@ -36,16 +36,6 @@ func (TagList) Type() string {
 // TagLists consists of several TagList.
 type TagLists []TagList
 
-// splitTagLists splits a slice of strings into a slice of TagLists using
-// SplitTagList.
-func splitTagLists(s []string) (l TagLists) {
-	l = make([]TagList, 0, len(s))
-	for _, t := range s {
-		l = append(l, splitTagList(t))
-	}
-	return l
-}
-
 func (l TagLists) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%v", []TagList(l))
 }
diff --git a/internal/ui/backup.go b/internal/ui/backup.go
index cda2d429d..e47f19f04 100644
--- a/internal/ui/backup.go
+++ b/internal/ui/backup.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (b *Backup) update(total, processed counter, errors uint, currentFiles map[
 	for filename := range currentFiles {
 		lines = append(lines, filename)
 	}
-	sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(lines))
+	sort.Strings(lines)
 	lines = append([]string{status}, lines...)
 
 	b.term.SetStatus(lines)
diff --git a/internal/ui/jsonstatus/status.go b/internal/ui/jsonstatus/status.go
index cc5b60543..3c8bc5545 100644
--- a/internal/ui/jsonstatus/status.go
+++ b/internal/ui/jsonstatus/status.go
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func (b *Backup) update(total, processed counter, errors uint, currentFiles map[
 	for filename := range currentFiles {
 		status.CurrentFiles = append(status.CurrentFiles, filename)
 	}
-	sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(status.CurrentFiles))
+	sort.Strings(status.CurrentFiles)
 
 	json.NewEncoder(b.StdioWrapper.Stdout()).Encode(status)
 }
diff --git a/internal/ui/table/table.go b/internal/ui/table/table.go
index 8939f2ac9..e14ea263c 100644
--- a/internal/ui/table/table.go
+++ b/internal/ui/table/table.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func (t *Table) Write(w io.Writer) error {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			row = append(row, string(buf.Bytes()))
+			row = append(row, buf.String())
 			buf.Reset()
 		}
 		lines = append(lines, row)
diff --git a/internal/ui/table/table_test.go b/internal/ui/table/table_test.go
index 47b180a91..db116bbc5 100644
--- a/internal/ui/table/table_test.go
+++ b/internal/ui/table/table_test.go
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ foo        2018-08-19 22:22:22  xxx  other  /home/user/other
 			}
 
 			want := strings.TrimLeft(test.output, "\n")
-			if string(buf.Bytes()) != want {
+			if buf.String() != want {
 				t.Errorf("wrong output\n---- want ---\n%s\n---- got ---\n%s\n-------\n", want, buf.Bytes())
 			}
 		})