4 files changed, 59 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/ws2_32.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/ws2_32.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..54f6a94eaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/ws2_32.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+[!GOOS:windows] skip
+
+go run .
+stdout 'ws2_32.dll: not found'
+
+go run -tags net .
+stdout 'ws2_32.dll: found'
+
+-- go.mod --
+module m
+
+go 1.21
+
+-- utils.go --
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"syscall"
+	"unsafe"
+)
+
+func hasModuleHandle() {
+	const ws2_32 = "ws2_32.dll"
+	getModuleHandle := syscall.MustLoadDLL("kernel32.dll").MustFindProc("GetModuleHandleW")
+	mod, _, _ := getModuleHandle.Call(uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(syscall.StringToUTF16Ptr(ws2_32))))
+	if mod != 0 {
+		fmt.Println(ws2_32+":", "found")
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println(ws2_32+":", "not found")
+	}
+}
+-- net.go --
+//go:build net
+package main
+
+import _ "net"
+
+func main() {
+    hasModuleHandle()
+}
+-- nonet.go --
+//go:build !net
+package main
+
+func main() {
+    hasModuleHandle()
+}
+\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/internal/poll/fd_windows.go b/src/internal/poll/fd_windows.go
index fe23d4b3d7..b08ca615c6 100644
--- a/src/internal/poll/fd_windows.go
+++ b/src/internal/poll/fd_windows.go
@@ -53,14 +53,17 @@ func checkSetFileCompletionNotificationModes() {
 	useSetFileCompletionNotificationModes = true
 }
 
-func init() {
+// InitWSA initiates the use of the Winsock DLL by the current process.
+// It is called from the net package at init time to avoid
+// loading ws2_32.dll when net is not used.
+var InitWSA = sync.OnceFunc(func() {
 	var d syscall.WSAData
 	e := syscall.WSAStartup(uint32(0x202), &d)
 	if e != nil {
 		initErr = e
 	}
 	checkSetFileCompletionNotificationModes()
-}
+})
 
 // operation contains superset of data necessary to perform all async IO.
 type operation struct {
diff --git a/src/internal/poll/fd_windows_test.go b/src/internal/poll/fd_windows_test.go
index f0697a0d7b..1cee18dcba 100644
--- a/src/internal/poll/fd_windows_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/poll/fd_windows_test.go
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ func logFD(net string, fd *poll.FD, err error) {
 func init() {
 	loggedFDs = make(map[syscall.Handle]*loggedFD)
 	*poll.LogInitFD = logFD
+
+	poll.InitWSA()
 }
 
 func findLoggedFD(h syscall.Handle) (lfd *loggedFD, found bool) {
diff --git a/src/net/fd_windows.go b/src/net/fd_windows.go
index 45a10cf1eb..f9a077b631 100644
--- a/src/net/fd_windows.go
+++ b/src/net/fd_windows.go
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ const (
 	writeMsgSyscallName = "wsasendmsg"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	poll.InitWSA()
+}
+
 // canUseConnectEx reports whether we can use the ConnectEx Windows API call
 // for the given network type.
 func canUseConnectEx(net string) bool {