diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index 4fdb1228b..6e8bf3c86 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,5 @@ linters:
     - gofmt
     - govet
     - gosimple
-    - structcheck
-    - varcheck
     - unused
     - typecheck
diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 188d8a8a8..2f40092f2 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -674,6 +674,7 @@ func (c *Client) downloadMetaFromTimestamp(name string, m data.TimestampFileMeta
 }
 
 // decodeRoot decodes and verifies root metadata.
+//lint:ignore U1000 unused
 func (c *Client) decodeRoot(b json.RawMessage) error {
 	root := &data.Root{}
 	if err := c.db.Unmarshal(b, root, "root", c.rootVer); err != nil {
diff --git a/repo_test.go b/repo_test.go
index 59b4b4e19..906b5999c 100644
--- a/repo_test.go
+++ b/repo_test.go
@@ -2684,7 +2684,7 @@ func (rs *RepoSuite) TestTargetMetadataLength(c *C) {
 	}
 	s := &data.Signed{}
 	c.Assert(json.Unmarshal(targetsJSON, s), IsNil)
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, string(s.Signed))
+	fmt.Fprint(os.Stderr, s.Signed)
 	var objMap map[string]json.RawMessage
 	c.Assert(json.Unmarshal(s.Signed, &objMap), IsNil)
 	targetsMap, ok := objMap["targets"]
@@ -2697,8 +2697,11 @@ func (rs *RepoSuite) TestTargetMetadataLength(c *C) {
 		c.Fatal("missing foo.txt in targets")
 	}
 	c.Assert(json.Unmarshal(targetsMap, &objMap), IsNil)
-	targetsMap, ok = objMap["length"]
+	lengthMsg, ok := objMap["length"]
 	if !ok {
 		c.Fatal("missing length field in foo.txt file meta")
 	}
+	var length int64
+	c.Assert(json.Unmarshal(lengthMsg, &length), IsNil)
+	c.Assert(length, Equals, int64(0))
 }
diff --git a/verify/db_test.go b/verify/db_test.go
index 2e26b3ceb..01d7a3081 100644
--- a/verify/db_test.go
+++ b/verify/db_test.go
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ func TestDelegationsDB(t *testing.T) {
 // Previously, every key's key ID was the SHA256 of the public key. TAP-12
 // allows arbitrary key IDs, with no loss in security.
 //
-//
 // TAP-12: https://github.com/theupdateframework/taps/blob/master/tap12.md
 func TestTAP12(t *testing.T) {
 	db := NewDB()