diff --git a/doc/contributing.texi b/doc/contributing.texi
index f5b01f42fd..2dd4be951f 100644
--- a/doc/contributing.texi
+++ b/doc/contributing.texi
@@ -194,24 +194,28 @@ After updating the repository, @command{make} might fail with an error
 similar to the following example:
 
 @example
 error: failed to load 'gnu/packages/linux.scm':
 ice-9/eval.scm:293:34: In procedure abi-check: #<record-type <origin>>: record ABI mismatch; recompilation needed
 @end example
 
 This means that one of the record types that Guix defines (in this
 example, the @code{origin} record) has changed, and all of guix needs
 to be recompiled to take that change into account.  To do so, run
 @command{make clean-go} followed by @command{make}.
 
+If after updating, @command{make} fails with another error message,
+you probably have to repeat all steps described here, starting with
+@command{./bootstrap}.
+
 @node Running Guix Before It Is Installed
 @section Running Guix Before It Is Installed
 
 In order to keep a sane working environment, you will find it useful to
 test the changes made in your local source tree checkout without
 actually installing them.  So that you can distinguish between your
 ``end-user'' hat and your ``motley'' costume.
 
 To that end, all the command-line tools can be used even if you have not
 run @code{make install}.  To do that, you first need to have an
 environment with all the dependencies available (@pxref{Building from
 Git}), and then simply prefix each command with @command{./pre-inst-env}