diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-nix-format.yml b/.github/workflows/check-nix-format.yml
index 22ad83ba953b..854d3eaf45fe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-nix-format.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-nix-format.yml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ jobs:
 
           if (( "${#unformattedFiles[@]}" > 0 )); then
             echo "Some new/changed Nix files are not properly formatted"
-            echo "Please go to the Nixpkgs root directory, run \`nix-shell\`, then:"
+            echo "Please format them using the Nixpkgs-specific \`nixfmt\` by going to the Nixpkgs root directory, running \`nix-shell\`, then:"
             echo "nixfmt ${unformattedFiles[*]@Q}"
             echo "If you're having trouble, please ping @NixOS/nix-formatting"
             exit 1