diff --git a/hack/lib/golang.sh b/hack/lib/golang.sh
index 809569d50e1..c92b7069a26 100755
--- a/hack/lib/golang.sh
+++ b/hack/lib/golang.sh
@@ -685,9 +685,7 @@ kube::golang::build_binaries() {
     local host_platform
     host_platform=$(kube::golang::host_platform)
 
-    # Use eval to preserve embedded quoted strings.
     local goflags goldflags goasmflags gogcflags
-    eval "goflags=(${GOFLAGS:-})"
     goldflags="${GOLDFLAGS:-} -s -w $(kube::version::ldflags)"
     goasmflags="-trimpath=${KUBE_ROOT}"
     gogcflags="${GOGCFLAGS:-} -trimpath=${KUBE_ROOT}"
diff --git a/hack/make-rules/test.sh b/hack/make-rules/test.sh
index 5aa1ad45a7f..e2a2f03debc 100755
--- a/hack/make-rules/test.sh
+++ b/hack/make-rules/test.sh
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ done
 shift $((OPTIND - 1))
 
 # Use eval to preserve embedded quoted strings.
-eval "goflags=(${GOFLAGS:-})"
 eval "testargs=(${KUBE_TEST_ARGS:-})"
 
 # Used to filter verbose test output.
diff --git a/hack/make-rules/vet.sh b/hack/make-rules/vet.sh
index 65a0d4945f9..bdfe8e5af5a 100755
--- a/hack/make-rules/vet.sh
+++ b/hack/make-rules/vet.sh
@@ -35,9 +35,6 @@ fi
 # See https://github.com/golang/go/issues/16086 for details.
 go install ./cmd/...
 
-# Use eval to preserve embedded quoted strings.
-eval "goflags=(${GOFLAGS:-})"
-
 # Filter out arguments that start with "-" and move them to goflags.
 targets=()
 for arg; do