diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-nix-format.yml b/.github/workflows/check-nix-format.yml
index 614de43832a5..96a1a0971555 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 run the following in \`nix-shell\`:"
+            echo "Please go to the Nixpkgs root directory, run \`nix-shell\`, then:"
             echo "nixfmt ${unformattedFiles[*]@Q}"
             exit 1
           fi