diff --git a/cmd/tip/Dockerfile b/cmd/tip/Dockerfile
index bc0374f..5fe8b39 100644
--- a/cmd/tip/Dockerfile
+++ b/cmd/tip/Dockerfile
@@ -1,19 +1,23 @@
-FROM golang:1.9
+FROM golang:1.11
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y -q build-essential git
 
+# For implicit GOCACHE (Issues 29243 and 29251), set HOME:
+RUN mkdir -p /home/gopher
+ENV HOME /home/gopher
+
 # golang puts its go install here (weird but true)
 ENV GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP /usr/local/go
 
 # BEGIN deps (run `make update-deps` to update)
 
-# Repo cloud.google.com/go at 1d0c2da (2018-01-30)
-ENV REV=1d0c2da40456a9b47f5376165f275424acc15c09
-RUN go get -d cloud.google.com/go/compute/metadata `#and 6 other pkgs` &&\
+# Repo cloud.google.com/go at b5eca92 (2018-10-23)
+ENV REV=b5eca92245a08e245bc29c4880c9779ea4aeaa9a
+RUN go get -d cloud.google.com/go/compute/metadata `#and 7 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/cloud.google.com/go && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo github.com/golang/protobuf at 9255415 (2018-01-25)
-ENV REV=925541529c1fa6821df4e44ce2723319eb2be768
+# Repo github.com/golang/protobuf at b4deda0 (2018-04-30)
+ENV REV=b4deda0973fb4c70b50d226b1af49f3da59f5265
 RUN go get -d github.com/golang/protobuf/proto `#and 6 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/github.com/golang/protobuf && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
@@ -22,44 +26,54 @@
 RUN go get -d github.com/googleapis/gax-go &&\
     (cd /go/src/github.com/googleapis/gax-go && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo golang.org/x/build at e879390 (2018-02-01)
-ENV REV=e8793909ba350594eea4c7c6bdb0f0d9a0d0f77a
+# Repo go.opencensus.io at ebd8d31 (2018-05-16)
+ENV REV=ebd8d31470fedf6c27d0e3056653ddff642509b8
+RUN go get -d go.opencensus.io/exporter/stackdriver/propagation `#and 12 other pkgs` &&\
+    (cd /go/src/go.opencensus.io && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
+
+# Repo golang.org/x/build at 7b78c20 (2018-12-13)
+ENV REV=7b78c2042368d5c56ee9dbd92ab5fa988c763944
 RUN go get -d golang.org/x/build/autocertcache &&\
     (cd /go/src/golang.org/x/build && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo golang.org/x/crypto at 1875d0a (2018-01-27)
-ENV REV=1875d0a70c90e57f11972aefd42276df65e895b9
+# Repo golang.org/x/crypto at e4dc69e (2018-11-06)
+ENV REV=e4dc69e5b2fd71dcaf8bd5d054eb936deb78d1fa
 RUN go get -d golang.org/x/crypto/acme `#and 2 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/golang.org/x/crypto && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo golang.org/x/net at 6d90978 (2018-02-01)
-ENV REV=6d90978dc4889d44e8cfbd04c05d17b5417823c7
+# Repo golang.org/x/net at 891ebc4 (2018-12-13)
+ENV REV=891ebc4b82d6e74f468c533b06f983c7be918a96
 RUN go get -d golang.org/x/net/context `#and 8 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/golang.org/x/net && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo golang.org/x/oauth2 at 30785a2 (2018-01-04)
-ENV REV=30785a2c434e431ef7c507b54617d6a951d5f2b4
+# Repo golang.org/x/oauth2 at f42d051 (2018-11-06)
+ENV REV=f42d05182288abf10faef86d16c0d07b8d40ea2d
 RUN go get -d golang.org/x/oauth2 `#and 5 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/golang.org/x/oauth2 && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo golang.org/x/text at e19ae14 (2017-12-27)
-ENV REV=e19ae1496984b1c655b8044a65c0300a3c878dd3
+# Repo golang.org/x/sys at 4d1cda0 (2018-12-13)
+ENV REV=4d1cda033e0619309c606fc686de3adcf599539e
+RUN go get -d golang.org/x/sys/unix &&\
+    (cd /go/src/golang.org/x/sys && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
+
+# Repo golang.org/x/text at 6f44c5a (2018-10-30)
+ENV REV=6f44c5a2ea40ee3593d98cdcc905cc1fdaa660e2
 RUN go get -d golang.org/x/text/secure/bidirule `#and 4 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/golang.org/x/text && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo google.golang.org/api at 7d0e2d3 (2018-01-30)
-ENV REV=7d0e2d350555821bef5a5b8aecf0d12cc1def633
+# Repo google.golang.org/api at 20530fd (2018-05-06)
+ENV REV=20530fd5d65ad2caee87891f9896d7547cb400c9
 RUN go get -d google.golang.org/api/gensupport `#and 9 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/google.golang.org/api && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo google.golang.org/genproto at 4eb30f4 (2018-01-25)
-ENV REV=4eb30f4778eed4c258ba66527a0d4f9ec8a36c45
-RUN go get -d google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api/annotations `#and 3 other pkgs` &&\
+# Repo google.golang.org/genproto at 86e600f (2018-04-27)
+ENV REV=86e600f69ee4704c6efbf6a2a40a5c10700e76c2
+RUN go get -d google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api/annotations `#and 4 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/google.golang.org/genproto && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
-# Repo google.golang.org/grpc at 0bd008f (2018-01-25)
-ENV REV=0bd008f5fadb62d228f12b18d016709e8139a7af
-RUN go get -d google.golang.org/grpc `#and 23 other pkgs` &&\
+# Repo google.golang.org/grpc at 07ef407 (2018-08-06)
+ENV REV=07ef407d991f1004e6c3367c8f452ed9a02f17ff
+RUN go get -d google.golang.org/grpc `#and 26 other pkgs` &&\
     (cd /go/src/google.golang.org/grpc && (git cat-file -t $REV 2>/dev/null || git fetch -q origin $REV) && git reset --hard $REV)
 
 # Optimization to speed up iterative development, not necessary for correctness:
@@ -67,6 +81,7 @@
 	cloud.google.com/go/iam \
 	cloud.google.com/go/internal \
 	cloud.google.com/go/internal/optional \
+	cloud.google.com/go/internal/trace \
 	cloud.google.com/go/internal/version \
 	cloud.google.com/go/storage \
 	github.com/golang/protobuf/proto \
@@ -76,22 +91,35 @@
 	github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/duration \
 	github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/timestamp \
 	github.com/googleapis/gax-go \
+	go.opencensus.io/exporter/stackdriver/propagation \
+	go.opencensus.io/internal \
+	go.opencensus.io/internal/tagencoding \
+	go.opencensus.io/plugin/ochttp \
+	go.opencensus.io/plugin/ochttp/propagation/b3 \
+	go.opencensus.io/stats \
+	go.opencensus.io/stats/internal \
+	go.opencensus.io/stats/view \
+	go.opencensus.io/tag \
+	go.opencensus.io/trace \
+	go.opencensus.io/trace/internal \
+	go.opencensus.io/trace/propagation \
 	golang.org/x/build/autocertcache \
 	golang.org/x/crypto/acme \
 	golang.org/x/crypto/acme/autocert \
 	golang.org/x/net/context \
 	golang.org/x/net/context/ctxhttp \
+	golang.org/x/net/http/httpguts \
 	golang.org/x/net/http2 \
 	golang.org/x/net/http2/hpack \
 	golang.org/x/net/idna \
 	golang.org/x/net/internal/timeseries \
-	golang.org/x/net/lex/httplex \
 	golang.org/x/net/trace \
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 \
 	golang.org/x/oauth2/google \
 	golang.org/x/oauth2/internal \
 	golang.org/x/oauth2/jws \
 	golang.org/x/oauth2/jwt \
+	golang.org/x/sys/unix \
 	golang.org/x/text/secure/bidirule \
 	golang.org/x/text/transform \
 	golang.org/x/text/unicode/bidi \
@@ -107,6 +135,7 @@
 	google.golang.org/api/transport/http \
 	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api/annotations \
 	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/iam/v1 \
+	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc/code \
 	google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/rpc/status \
 	google.golang.org/grpc \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/balancer \
@@ -117,9 +146,13 @@
 	google.golang.org/grpc/credentials \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/encoding \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/encoding/proto \
-	google.golang.org/grpc/grpclb/grpc_lb_v1/messages \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/grpclog \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/internal \
+	google.golang.org/grpc/internal/backoff \
+	google.golang.org/grpc/internal/channelz \
+	google.golang.org/grpc/internal/envconfig \
+	google.golang.org/grpc/internal/grpcrand \
+	google.golang.org/grpc/internal/transport \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/keepalive \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/metadata \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/naming \
@@ -129,8 +162,7 @@
 	google.golang.org/grpc/resolver/passthrough \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/stats \
 	google.golang.org/grpc/status \
-	google.golang.org/grpc/tap \
-	google.golang.org/grpc/transport
+	google.golang.org/grpc/tap
 # END deps.
 
 # golang sets GOPATH=/go
diff --git a/cmd/tip/Makefile b/cmd/tip/Makefile
index ac7d937..8054f17 100644
--- a/cmd/tip/Makefile
+++ b/cmd/tip/Makefile
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
 
 deploy-prod: push-prod
 	go install golang.org/x/build/cmd/xb
-	xb --prod kubectl set image deployment/tip-deployment tip=$(IMAGE_PROD):$(VERSION)
+	xb --prod kubectl set image deployment/tipgodoc-deployment tipgodoc=$(IMAGE_PROD):$(VERSION)
 deploy-staging: push-staging
 	go install golang.org/x/build/cmd/xb
-	xb --staging kubectl set image deployment/tip-deployment tip=$(IMAGE_STAGING):$(VERSION)
+	xb --staging kubectl set image deployment/tipgodoc-deployment tipgodoc=$(IMAGE_STAGING):$(VERSION)
 
diff --git a/cmd/tip/README b/cmd/tip/README
index b96c107..b5f42a9 100644
--- a/cmd/tip/README
+++ b/cmd/tip/README
@@ -23,10 +23,6 @@
 
 Kubernetes instructions:
 
- * build & push images (see Makefile for helpers)
- * create/update resources:
-   - kubectl create -f tip-rc.yaml
-   - kubectl create -f tip-service.yaml
+ * make deploy-prod
 
-TODO(bradfitz): flesh out these instructions as I gain experience
-with updating this over time. Also: move talks.golang.org to GKE too?
+Also: move talks.golang.org to GKE too?
diff --git a/cmd/tip/godoc.go b/cmd/tip/godoc.go
index 4332c35..e6808f5 100644
--- a/cmd/tip/godoc.go
+++ b/cmd/tip/godoc.go
@@ -8,53 +8,73 @@
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 )
 
-type godocBuilder struct {
+type godocBuilder struct{}
+
+func prefix8(s string) string {
+	if len(s) < 8 {
+		return s
+	}
+	return s[:8]
 }
 
 func (b godocBuilder) Signature(heads map[string]string) string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("go=%v/tools=%v", heads["go"], heads["tools"])
+	return fmt.Sprintf("go=%v/tools=%v", prefix8(heads["go"]), prefix8(heads["tools"]))
 }
 
-func (b godocBuilder) Init(dir, hostport string, heads map[string]string) (*exec.Cmd, error) {
+func (b godocBuilder) Init(logger *log.Logger, dir, hostport string, heads map[string]string) (*exec.Cmd, error) {
+
 	goDir := filepath.Join(dir, "go")
 	toolsDir := filepath.Join(dir, "gopath/src/golang.org/x/tools")
+	logger.Printf("checking out go repo ...")
 	if err := checkout(repoURL+"go", heads["go"], goDir); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("checkout of go: %v", err)
 	}
+	logger.Printf("checking out tools repo ...")
 	if err := checkout(repoURL+"tools", heads["tools"], toolsDir); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("checkout of tools: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	var logWriter io.Writer = toLoggerWriter{logger}
+
 	make := exec.Command(filepath.Join(goDir, "src/make.bash"))
 	make.Dir = filepath.Join(goDir, "src")
-	if err := runErr(make); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	make.Stdout = logWriter
+	make.Stderr = logWriter
+	logger.Printf("running make.bash in %s ...", make.Dir)
+	if err := make.Run(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("running make.bash: %v", err)
 	}
+
+	logger.Printf("installing godoc ...")
 	goBin := filepath.Join(goDir, "bin/go")
 	goPath := filepath.Join(dir, "gopath")
 	install := exec.Command(goBin, "install", "golang.org/x/tools/cmd/godoc")
-	install.Env = []string{
-		"GOROOT=" + goDir,
-		"GOPATH=" + goPath,
-		"GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP=" + os.Getenv("GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP"),
-	}
-	if err := runErr(install); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	install.Stdout = logWriter
+	install.Stderr = logWriter
+	install.Env = append(os.Environ(),
+		"GOROOT="+goDir,
+		"GOPATH="+goPath,
+		"GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP="+os.Getenv("GOROOT_BOOTSTRAP"),
+	)
+	if err := install.Run(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("go install golang.org/x/tools/cmd/godoc: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	logger.Printf("starting godoc ...")
 	godocBin := filepath.Join(goPath, "bin/godoc")
 	godoc := exec.Command(godocBin, "-http="+hostport, "-index", "-index_interval=-1s", "-play")
-	godoc.Env = []string{"GOROOT=" + goDir}
-	// TODO(adg): log this somewhere useful
-	godoc.Stdout = os.Stdout
-	godoc.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	godoc.Env = append(os.Environ(), "GOROOT="+goDir)
+	godoc.Stdout = logWriter
+	godoc.Stderr = logWriter
 	if err := godoc.Start(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("starting godoc: %v", err)
 	}
 	return godoc, nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/tip/godoc.yaml b/cmd/tip/godoc.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 64dbb7d..0000000
--- a/cmd/tip/godoc.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-module: tip
-runtime: custom
-vm: true
-
-manual_scaling:
-  instances: 4
-
-env_variables:
-  TIP_BUILDER: 'godoc'
-
-health_check:
-  enable_health_check: True
-  check_interval_sec: 5
-  timeout_sec: 4
-  unhealthy_threshold: 2
-  healthy_threshold: 2
-  restart_threshold: 240
diff --git a/cmd/tip/talks.go b/cmd/tip/talks.go
index a1a7a95..cc1472e 100644
--- a/cmd/tip/talks.go
+++ b/cmd/tip/talks.go
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 )
 
-type talksBuilder struct {
-}
+type talksBuilder struct{}
 
 func (b talksBuilder) Signature(heads map[string]string) string {
 	return heads["talks"]
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
 
 const talksToolsRev = "8cab8a1319f0be9798e7fe78b15da75e5f94b2e9"
 
-func (b talksBuilder) Init(dir, hostport string, heads map[string]string) (*exec.Cmd, error) {
+func (b talksBuilder) Init(logger *log.Logger, dir, hostport string, heads map[string]string) (*exec.Cmd, error) {
+	// TODO: use logger
 	toolsDir := filepath.Join(dir, "gopath/src/golang.org/x/tools")
 	if err := checkout(repoURL+"tools", talksToolsRev, toolsDir); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@
 	goPath := filepath.Join(dir, "gopath")
 	presentPath := "golang.org/x/tools/cmd/present"
 	install := exec.Command(goBin, "install", "-tags=appenginevm", presentPath)
-	install.Env = []string{"GOROOT=" + goDir, "GOPATH=" + goPath}
+	install.Env = append(os.Environ(), "GOROOT="+goDir, "GOPATH="+goPath)
 	if err := runErr(install); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/tip/tip-prod.yaml b/cmd/tip/tip-prod.yaml
index ce4ad07..8b30a97 100644
--- a/cmd/tip/tip-prod.yaml
+++ b/cmd/tip/tip-prod.yaml
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
         - containerPort: 443
         resources:
           requests:
-            cpu: "1"
-            memory: "2Gi"
-          limits:
             cpu: "2"
             memory: "4Gi"
+          limits:
+            cpu: "2"
+            memory: "8Gi"
diff --git a/cmd/tip/tip.go b/cmd/tip/tip.go
index ce9c4b7..6109560 100644
--- a/cmd/tip/tip.go
+++ b/cmd/tip/tip.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 type Proxy struct {
 	builder Builder
 
-	mu       sync.Mutex // protects the followin'
+	mu       sync.Mutex // protects following fields
 	proxy    http.Handler
 	cur      string    // signature of gorepo+toolsrepo
 	cmd      *exec.Cmd // live godoc instance, or nil for none
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
 
 type Builder interface {
 	Signature(heads map[string]string) string
-	Init(dir, hostport string, heads map[string]string) (*exec.Cmd, error)
+	Init(logger *log.Logger, dir, hostport string, heads map[string]string) (*exec.Cmd, error)
 	HealthCheck(hostport string) error
 }
 
@@ -177,7 +177,9 @@
 
 // run runs in its own goroutine.
 func (p *Proxy) run() {
+	p.mu.Lock()
 	p.side = "a"
+	p.mu.Unlock()
 	for {
 		p.poll()
 		time.Sleep(30 * time.Second)
@@ -225,14 +227,20 @@
 	if newSide == "b" {
 		hostport = "localhost:8082"
 	}
-	cmd, err := p.builder.Init(dir, hostport, heads)
+	logger := log.New(os.Stderr, sig+": ", log.LstdFlags)
+
+	cmd, err := p.builder.Init(logger, dir, hostport, heads)
 	if err != nil {
+		logger.Printf("Init failed: %v", err)
 		err = fmt.Errorf("builder.Init: %v", err)
 	} else {
 		go func() {
 			// TODO(adg,bradfitz): be smarter about dead processes
 			if err := cmd.Wait(); err != nil {
-				log.Printf("process in %v exited: %v", dir, err)
+				logger.Printf("process in %v exited: %v (%T)", dir, err, err)
+				if ee, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
+					logger.Printf("ProcessState.Sys() = %v", ee.ProcessState.Sys())
+				}
 			}
 		}()
 		err = waitReady(p.builder, hostport)
@@ -302,7 +310,7 @@
 		if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0755); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("mkdir: %v", err)
 		}
-		if err := runErr(exec.Command("git", "clone", repo, path)); err != nil {
+		if err := runErr(exec.Command("git", "clone", "--depth", "1", repo, path)); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("clone: %v", err)
 		}
 	} else if err != nil {
@@ -424,3 +432,10 @@
 	}
 	h.h.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 }
+
+type toLoggerWriter struct{ logger *log.Logger }
+
+func (w toLoggerWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	w.logger.Printf("%s", p)
+	return len(p), nil
+}