diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 0b1f62e9..1d157e17 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 language: go
 
-go:
-  - 1.6.3
+go:  
   - 1.7.3
   - tip
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 98d7d450..4bfecb54 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ the [CLI documentation](https://caddyserver.com/docs/cli) for details.
 
 ## Running from Source
 
-Note: You will need **[Go 1.6](https://golang.org/dl/)** or newer.
+Note: You will need **[Go 1.7](https://golang.org/dl/)** or newer.
 
 1. `go get github.com/mholt/caddy/caddy`
 2. `cd` into your website's directory
diff --git a/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go b/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go
index 957c1f3c..5cadfae6 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/log/log_test.go
@@ -104,10 +104,7 @@ func TestLogRequestBody(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	} {
 		got.Reset()
-		r, err := http.NewRequest("POST", "/", bytes.NewBufferString(c.body))
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
-		}
+		r := httptest.NewRequest("POST", "/", bytes.NewBufferString(c.body))
 		r.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 		status, err := logger.ServeHTTP(httptest.NewRecorder(), r)
 		if status != 0 {
diff --git a/caddyhttp/proxy/proxy_test.go b/caddyhttp/proxy/proxy_test.go
index 81c45735..af02a17c 100644
--- a/caddyhttp/proxy/proxy_test.go
+++ b/caddyhttp/proxy/proxy_test.go
@@ -43,10 +43,7 @@ func TestReverseProxy(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// create request and response recorder
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
 	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 
 	p.ServeHTTP(w, r)
@@ -84,10 +81,7 @@ func TestReverseProxyInsecureSkipVerify(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// create request and response recorder
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
 	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 
 	p.ServeHTTP(w, r)
@@ -114,10 +108,8 @@ func TestWebSocketReverseProxyNonHijackerPanic(t *testing.T) {
 	p := newWebSocketTestProxy(wsNop.URL)
 
 	// Create client request
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
+
 	r.Header = http.Header{
 		"Connection":            {"Upgrade"},
 		"Upgrade":               {"websocket"},
@@ -141,10 +133,8 @@ func TestWebSocketReverseProxyServeHTTPHandler(t *testing.T) {
 	p := newWebSocketTestProxy(wsNop.URL)
 
 	// Create client request
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
+
 	r.Header = http.Header{
 		"Connection":            {"Upgrade"},
 		"Upgrade":               {"websocket"},
@@ -195,6 +185,7 @@ func TestWebSocketReverseProxyFromWSClient(t *testing.T) {
 	// Set up WebSocket client
 	url := strings.Replace(echoProxy.URL, "http://", "ws://", 1)
 	ws, err := websocket.Dial(url, "", echoProxy.URL)
+
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -202,11 +193,18 @@ func TestWebSocketReverseProxyFromWSClient(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Send test message
 	trialMsg := "Is it working?"
-	websocket.Message.Send(ws, trialMsg)
+
+	if sendErr := websocket.Message.Send(ws, trialMsg); sendErr != nil {
+		t.Fatal(sendErr)
+	}
 
 	// It should be echoed back to us
 	var actualMsg string
-	websocket.Message.Receive(ws, &actualMsg)
+
+	if rcvErr := websocket.Message.Receive(ws, &actualMsg); rcvErr != nil {
+		t.Fatal(rcvErr)
+	}
+
 	if actualMsg != trialMsg {
 		t.Errorf("Expected '%s' but got '%s' instead", trialMsg, actualMsg)
 	}
@@ -419,10 +417,7 @@ func TestUpstreamHeadersUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// create request and response recorder
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
 	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 
 	const expectHost = "example.com"
@@ -499,10 +494,7 @@ func TestDownstreamHeadersUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// create request and response recorder
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
 	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 	// set a predefined skip header
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/css")
@@ -627,8 +619,9 @@ func TestMultiReverseProxyFromClient(t *testing.T) {
 		// Create client request
 		reqURL := proxy.URL + tt.url
 		req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", reqURL, nil)
+
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to make request: %v", err)
 		}
 
 		resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
@@ -661,12 +654,9 @@ func TestHostSimpleProxyNoHeaderForward(t *testing.T) {
 		Upstreams: []Upstream{newFakeUpstream(backend.URL, false)},
 	}
 
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
 	r.Host = "test.com"
 
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
 	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 
 	p.ServeHTTP(w, r)
@@ -698,12 +688,9 @@ func TestHostHeaderReplacedUsingForward(t *testing.T) {
 		Upstreams: []Upstream{upstream},
 	}
 
-	r, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
+	r := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/", nil)
 	r.Host = "test.com"
 
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Failed to create request: %v", err)
-	}
 	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 
 	p.ServeHTTP(w, r)