diff --git a/playground/appengine.go b/playground/appengine.go
index 94c5d523..08c61f3d 100644
--- a/playground/appengine.go
+++ b/playground/appengine.go
@@ -7,20 +7,28 @@
 package playground
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"io"
 	"net/http"
 
-	"appengine"
-	"appengine/urlfetch"
+	"google.golang.org/appengine"
+	"google.golang.org/appengine/log"
+	"google.golang.org/appengine/urlfetch"
 )
 
 func init() {
 	onAppengine = !appengine.IsDevAppServer()
 }
 
-func client(r *http.Request) *http.Client {
-	return urlfetch.Client(appengine.NewContext(r))
+func contextFunc(r *http.Request) context.Context {
+	return appengine.NewContext(r)
+}
+
+func post(ctx context.Context, url, contentType string, body io.Reader) (*http.Response, error) {
+	return urlfetch.Client(ctx).Post(url, contentType, body)
 }
 
 func report(r *http.Request, err error) {
-	appengine.NewContext(r).Errorf("%v", err)
+	ctx := appengine.NewContext(r)
+	log.Errorf(ctx, "%v", err)
 }
diff --git a/playground/appenginevm.go b/playground/appenginevm.go
deleted file mode 100644
index aa3a2126..00000000
--- a/playground/appenginevm.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2015 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
-// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
-// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
-
-// +build appenginevm
-
-package playground
-
-func init() {
-	onAppengine = true
-}
diff --git a/playground/common.go b/playground/common.go
index 81df9e00..f34a4b77 100644
--- a/playground/common.go
+++ b/playground/common.go
@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ package playground // import "golang.org/x/tools/playground"
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
+	"time"
 )
 
 const baseURL = "https://golang.org"
@@ -25,7 +27,7 @@ func init() {
 func bounce(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	b := new(bytes.Buffer)
 	if err := passThru(b, r); err != nil {
-		http.Error(w, "Server error.", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		http.Error(w, http.StatusText(http.StatusInternalServerError), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		report(r, err)
 		return
 	}
@@ -38,7 +40,9 @@ func passThru(w io.Writer, req *http.Request) error {
 	}
 	defer req.Body.Close()
 	url := baseURL + req.URL.Path
-	r, err := client(req).Post(url, req.Header.Get("Content-type"), req.Body)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(contextFunc(req), 60*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	r, err := post(ctx, url, req.Header.Get("Content-type"), req.Body)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("making POST request: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ func passThru(w io.Writer, req *http.Request) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-var onAppengine = false // will be overridden by appengine.go and appenginevm.go
+var onAppengine = false // will be overridden by appengine.go
 
 func allowShare(r *http.Request) bool {
 	if !onAppengine {
diff --git a/playground/local.go b/playground/local.go
index b114b877..452054bd 100644
--- a/playground/local.go
+++ b/playground/local.go
@@ -7,12 +7,23 @@
 package playground
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 )
 
-func client(r *http.Request) *http.Client {
-	return http.DefaultClient
+func post(ctx context.Context, url, contentType string, body io.Reader) (*http.Response, error) {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", url, body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("http.NewRequest: %v", err)
+	}
+	return http.DefaultClient.Do(req.WithContext(ctx))
+}
+
+func contextFunc(_ *http.Request) context.Context {
+	return context.Background()
 }
 
 func report(r *http.Request, err error) {