diff --git a/bolt/utils/nfc-check-setup.py b/bolt/utils/nfc-check-setup.py
--- a/bolt/utils/nfc-check-setup.py
+++ b/bolt/utils/nfc-check-setup.py
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@
     subprocess.run(
         shlex.split("cmake --build . --target llvm-bolt"), cwd=args.build_dir
     )
+    # preserve llvm-bolt's timestamp to trick Ninja not to rebuild it
+    stat = os.stat(bolt_path)
     # rename llvm-bolt
     os.replace(bolt_path, f"{bolt_path}.new")
     # memorize the old hash for logging
@@ -96,6 +98,8 @@
         f.write(ini)
     # symlink llvm-bolt-wrapper
     os.symlink(wrapper_path, bolt_path)
+    # restore original [am]time on symlink
+    os.utime(bolt_path, (stat.st_atime, stat.st_mtime))
     if args.switch_back:
         if stash:
             subprocess.run(shlex.split("git stash pop"), cwd=source_dir)
@@ -108,8 +112,7 @@
         )
     print(
         f"Build directory {args.build_dir} is ready to run BOLT tests, e.g.\n"
-        "\tbin/llvm-lit -sv tools/bolt/test\nor\n"
-        "\tbin/llvm-lit -sv tools/bolttests"
+        "\tninja check-bolt"
     )