diff --git a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
index 2ece53eb0cc99..41c8ef17f0b57 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
+++ b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
@@ -1145,7 +1145,8 @@ def build_bootstrap_cmd(self, env):
             os.path.join(self.rust_root, "src/bootstrap/Cargo.toml"),
             "-Zroot-dir=" + self.rust_root,
         ]
-        args.extend("--verbose" for _ in range(self.verbose))
+        # verbose cargo output is very noisy, so only enable it with -vv
+        args.extend("--verbose" for _ in range(self.verbose - 1))
 
         if "BOOTSTRAP_TRACING" in env:
             args.append("--features=tracing")
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
index 723ba80eaf827..e7f5879b5f51a 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
@@ -3418,9 +3418,6 @@ impl Step for TierCheck {
         );
         cargo.arg(builder.src.join("src/doc/rustc/src/platform-support.md"));
         cargo.arg(builder.rustc(self.test_compiler));
-        if builder.is_verbose() {
-            cargo.arg("--verbose");
-        }
 
         let _guard = builder.msg_test(
             "platform support check",
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs
index 924bb4adb42d0..8e65ec7ce50ad 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cargo.rs
@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
             cargo.env("RUSTC_BACKTRACE_ON_ICE", "1");
         }
 
-        if self.is_verbose() {
+        if self.is_verbose_than(1) {
             // This provides very useful logs especially when debugging build cache-related stuff.
             cargo.env("CARGO_LOG", "cargo::core::compiler::fingerprint=info");
         }
@@ -1275,8 +1275,9 @@ impl Builder<'_> {
             cargo.env("WINAPI_NO_BUNDLED_LIBRARIES", "1");
         }
 
-        for _ in 0..self.verbosity {
-            cargo.arg("-v");
+        // verbose cargo output is very noisy, so only enable it with -vv
+        for _ in 0..self.verbosity.saturating_sub(1) {
+            cargo.arg("--verbose");
         }
 
         match (mode, self.config.rust_codegen_units_std, self.config.rust_codegen_units) {