diff --git a/compute/metadata/metadata.go b/compute/metadata/metadata.go
index 5dbe77cc79c..111309f3d8b 100644
--- a/compute/metadata/metadata.go
+++ b/compute/metadata/metadata.go
@@ -61,14 +61,18 @@ var (
 	instID  = &cachedValue{k: "instance/id", trim: true}
 )
 
-var defaultClient = &Client{hc: &http.Client{
-	Transport: &http.Transport{
-		Dial: (&net.Dialer{
-			Timeout:   2 * time.Second,
-			KeepAlive: 30 * time.Second,
-		}).Dial,
-	},
-}}
+var defaultClient = &Client{hc: newDefaultHTTPClient()}
+
+func newDefaultHTTPClient() *http.Client {
+	return &http.Client{
+		Transport: &http.Transport{
+			Dial: (&net.Dialer{
+				Timeout:   2 * time.Second,
+				KeepAlive: 30 * time.Second,
+			}).Dial,
+		},
+	}
+}
 
 // NotDefinedError is returned when requested metadata is not defined.
 //
@@ -130,7 +134,7 @@ func testOnGCE() bool {
 	go func() {
 		req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", "http://"+metadataIP, nil)
 		req.Header.Set("User-Agent", userAgent)
-		res, err := defaultClient.hc.Do(req.WithContext(ctx))
+		res, err := newDefaultHTTPClient().Do(req.WithContext(ctx))
 		if err != nil {
 			resc <- false
 			return
@@ -140,7 +144,8 @@ func testOnGCE() bool {
 	}()
 
 	go func() {
-		addrs, err := net.DefaultResolver.LookupHost(ctx, "metadata.google.internal")
+		resolver := &net.Resolver{}
+		addrs, err := resolver.LookupHost(ctx, "metadata.google.internal")
 		if err != nil || len(addrs) == 0 {
 			resc <- false
 			return