diff --git a/Lib/http/server.py b/Lib/http/server.py
index 86fa37fd5a8..6642729af58 100644
--- a/Lib/http/server.py
+++ b/Lib/http/server.py
@@ -271,14 +271,11 @@ class BaseHTTPRequestHandler(socketserver.StreamRequestHandler):
         self.request_version = version = self.default_request_version
         self.close_connection = 1
         requestline = str(self.raw_requestline, 'iso-8859-1')
-        if requestline[-2:] == '\r\n':
-            requestline = requestline[:-2]
-        elif requestline[-1:] == '\n':
-            requestline = requestline[:-1]
+        requestline = requestline.rstrip('\r\n')
         self.requestline = requestline
         words = requestline.split()
         if len(words) == 3:
-            [command, path, version] = words
+            command, path, version = words
             if version[:5] != 'HTTP/':
                 self.send_error(400, "Bad request version (%r)" % version)
                 return False
@@ -304,7 +301,7 @@ class BaseHTTPRequestHandler(socketserver.StreamRequestHandler):
                           "Invalid HTTP Version (%s)" % base_version_number)
                 return False
         elif len(words) == 2:
-            [command, path] = words
+            command, path = words
             self.close_connection = 1
             if command != 'GET':
                 self.send_error(400,