diff --git a/src/archive/tar/common.go b/src/archive/tar/common.go
index 6390ca41c6846b..b1704a402d4319 100644
--- a/src/archive/tar/common.go
+++ b/src/archive/tar/common.go
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ func (h *Header) allowedFormats() (format int, paxHdrs map[string]string) {
 	paxHdrs = make(map[string]string)
 
 	verifyString := func(s string, size int, gnuLong bool, paxKey string) {
+
 		// NUL-terminator is optional for path and linkpath.
 		// Technically, it is required for uname and gname,
 		// but neither GNU nor BSD tar checks for it.
@@ -95,9 +96,10 @@ func (h *Header) allowedFormats() (format int, paxHdrs map[string]string) {
 			format &^= formatGNU // No GNU
 		}
 		if !isASCII(s) || tooLong {
-			// TODO(dsnet): If the path is splittable, it is possible to still
-			// use the USTAR format.
-			format &^= formatUSTAR // No USTAR
+			canSplitUSTAR := paxKey == paxPath
+			if _, _, ok := splitUSTARPath(s); !canSplitUSTAR || !ok {
+				format &^= formatUSTAR // No USTAR
+			}
 			if paxKey == paxNone {
 				format &^= formatPAX // No PAX
 			} else {
diff --git a/src/archive/tar/testdata/ustar.issue12594.tar b/src/archive/tar/testdata/ustar.issue12594.tar
deleted file mode 100644
index 64931bfbe17187..00000000000000
Binary files a/src/archive/tar/testdata/ustar.issue12594.tar and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/src/archive/tar/writer.go b/src/archive/tar/writer.go
index 65836ec17f5e98..a918ff3eef9948 100644
--- a/src/archive/tar/writer.go
+++ b/src/archive/tar/writer.go
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ type Writer struct {
 	pad    int64 // amount of padding to write after current file entry
 	closed bool
 
-	blk block // Buffer to use as temporary local storage
+	hdr Header // Shallow copy of Header that is safe for mutations
+	blk block  // Buffer to use as temporary local storage
 }
 
 // NewWriter creates a new Writer writing to w.
@@ -59,25 +60,30 @@ func (tw *Writer) WriteHeader(hdr *Header) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	switch allowedFormats, paxHdrs := hdr.allowedFormats(); {
+	tw.hdr = *hdr // Shallow copy of Header
+	switch allowedFormats, paxHdrs := tw.hdr.allowedFormats(); {
 	case allowedFormats&formatUSTAR != 0:
-		return tw.writeUSTARHeader(hdr)
+		return tw.writeUSTARHeader(&tw.hdr)
 	case allowedFormats&formatPAX != 0:
-		return tw.writePAXHeader(hdr, paxHdrs)
+		return tw.writePAXHeader(&tw.hdr, paxHdrs)
 	case allowedFormats&formatGNU != 0:
-		return tw.writeGNUHeader(hdr)
+		return tw.writeGNUHeader(&tw.hdr)
 	default:
 		return ErrHeader
 	}
 }
 
 func (tw *Writer) writeUSTARHeader(hdr *Header) error {
-	// TODO(dsnet): Support USTAR prefix/suffix path splitting.
-	// See https://golang.org/issue/12594
+	// Check if we can use USTAR prefix/suffix splitting.
+	var namePrefix string
+	if prefix, suffix, ok := splitUSTARPath(hdr.Name); ok {
+		namePrefix, hdr.Name = prefix, suffix
+	}
 
 	// Pack the main header.
 	var f formatter
 	blk := tw.templateV7Plus(hdr, f.formatString, f.formatOctal)
+	f.formatString(blk.USTAR().Prefix(), namePrefix)
 	blk.SetFormat(formatUSTAR)
 	if f.err != nil {
 		return f.err // Should never happen since header is validated
diff --git a/src/archive/tar/writer_test.go b/src/archive/tar/writer_test.go
index 89808711441467..a6eec5a9da9d97 100644
--- a/src/archive/tar/writer_test.go
+++ b/src/archive/tar/writer_test.go
@@ -151,15 +151,9 @@ func TestWriter(t *testing.T) {
 			contents: strings.Repeat("\x00", 4<<10),
 		}},
 	}, {
-		// TODO(dsnet): The Writer output should match the following file.
-		// To fix an issue (see https://golang.org/issue/12594), we disabled
-		// prefix support, which alters the generated output.
-		/*
-			// This file was produced using gnu tar 1.17
-			// gnutar  -b 4 --format=ustar (longname/)*15 + file.txt
-			file: "testdata/ustar.tar"
-		*/
-		file: "testdata/ustar.issue12594.tar", // This is a valid tar file, but not expected
+		// This file was produced using GNU tar v1.17.
+		//	gnutar -b 4 --format=ustar (longname/)*15 + file.txt
+		file: "testdata/ustar.tar",
 		entries: []*entry{{
 			header: &Header{
 				Name:     strings.Repeat("longname/", 15) + "file.txt",