diff --git a/src/bootstrap/builder.rs b/src/bootstrap/builder.rs
index 707e4169002d9..66bc0f023b6c9 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/builder.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/builder.rs
@@ -97,18 +97,36 @@ impl RunConfig<'_> {
         self.builder.build.build
     }
 
-    /// Return a `-p=x -p=y` string suitable for passing to a cargo invocation.
+    /// Return a list of crate names selected by `run.paths`.
     pub fn cargo_crates_in_set(&self) -> Interned<Vec<String>> {
         let mut crates = Vec::new();
         for krate in &self.paths {
             let path = krate.assert_single_path();
             let crate_name = self.builder.crate_paths[&path.path];
-            crates.push(format!("-p={crate_name}"));
+            crates.push(crate_name.to_string());
         }
         INTERNER.intern_list(crates)
     }
 }
 
+/// A description of the crates in this set, suitable for passing to `builder.info`.
+///
+/// `crates` should be generated by [`RunConfig::cargo_crates_in_set`].
+pub fn crate_description(crates: &[impl AsRef<str>]) -> String {
+    if crates.is_empty() {
+        return "".into();
+    }
+
+    let mut descr = String::from(" {");
+    descr.push_str(crates[0].as_ref());
+    for krate in &crates[1..] {
+        descr.push_str(", ");
+        descr.push_str(krate.as_ref());
+    }
+    descr.push('}');
+    descr
+}
+
 struct StepDescription {
     default: bool,
     only_hosts: bool,
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/check.rs b/src/bootstrap/check.rs
index 2e1bd8d6d1f6d..32e5d414061ec 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/check.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/check.rs
@@ -99,19 +99,13 @@ impl Step for Std {
             cargo_subcommand(builder.kind),
         );
         std_cargo(builder, target, compiler.stage, &mut cargo);
+        cargo.args(args(builder));
 
         builder.info(&format!(
-            "Checking stage{} std artifacts ({} -> {})",
+            "Checking stage{} library artifacts ({} -> {})",
             builder.top_stage, &compiler.host, target
         ));
-        run_cargo(
-            builder,
-            cargo,
-            args(builder),
-            &libstd_stamp(builder, compiler, target),
-            vec![],
-            true,
-        );
+        run_cargo(builder, cargo, &libstd_stamp(builder, compiler, target), vec![], true);
 
         // We skip populating the sysroot in non-zero stage because that'll lead
         // to rlib/rmeta conflicts if std gets built during this session.
@@ -155,19 +149,13 @@ impl Step for Std {
         for krate in builder.in_tree_crates("test", Some(target)) {
             cargo.arg("-p").arg(krate.name);
         }
+        cargo.args(args(builder));
 
         builder.info(&format!(
-            "Checking stage{} std test/bench/example targets ({} -> {})",
+            "Checking stage{} library test/bench/example targets ({} -> {})",
             builder.top_stage, &compiler.host, target
         ));
-        run_cargo(
-            builder,
-            cargo,
-            args(builder),
-            &libstd_test_stamp(builder, compiler, target),
-            vec![],
-            true,
-        );
+        run_cargo(builder, cargo, &libstd_test_stamp(builder, compiler, target), vec![], true);
     }
 }
 
@@ -231,19 +219,13 @@ impl Step for Rustc {
         for krate in builder.in_tree_crates("rustc-main", Some(target)) {
             cargo.arg("-p").arg(krate.name);
         }
+        cargo.args(args(builder));
 
         builder.info(&format!(
             "Checking stage{} compiler artifacts ({} -> {})",
             builder.top_stage, &compiler.host, target
         ));
-        run_cargo(
-            builder,
-            cargo,
-            args(builder),
-            &librustc_stamp(builder, compiler, target),
-            vec![],
-            true,
-        );
+        run_cargo(builder, cargo, &librustc_stamp(builder, compiler, target), vec![], true);
 
         let libdir = builder.sysroot_libdir(compiler, target);
         let hostdir = builder.sysroot_libdir(compiler, compiler.host);
@@ -290,6 +272,7 @@ impl Step for CodegenBackend {
             .arg("--manifest-path")
             .arg(builder.src.join(format!("compiler/rustc_codegen_{}/Cargo.toml", backend)));
         rustc_cargo_env(builder, &mut cargo, target);
+        cargo.args(args(builder));
 
         builder.info(&format!(
             "Checking stage{} {} artifacts ({} -> {})",
@@ -299,7 +282,6 @@ impl Step for CodegenBackend {
         run_cargo(
             builder,
             cargo,
-            args(builder),
             &codegen_backend_stamp(builder, compiler, target, backend),
             vec![],
             true,
@@ -355,11 +337,13 @@ impl Step for RustAnalyzer {
             cargo.arg("--benches");
         }
 
+        cargo.args(args(builder));
+
         builder.info(&format!(
             "Checking stage{} {} artifacts ({} -> {})",
             compiler.stage, "rust-analyzer", &compiler.host.triple, target.triple
         ));
-        run_cargo(builder, cargo, args(builder), &stamp(builder, compiler, target), vec![], true);
+        run_cargo(builder, cargo, &stamp(builder, compiler, target), vec![], true);
 
         /// Cargo's output path in a given stage, compiled by a particular
         /// compiler for the specified target.
@@ -413,6 +397,8 @@ macro_rules! tool_check_step {
                     cargo.arg("--all-targets");
                 }
 
+                cargo.args(args(builder));
+
                 // Enable internal lints for clippy and rustdoc
                 // NOTE: this doesn't enable lints for any other tools unless they explicitly add `#![warn(rustc::internal)]`
                 // See https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/80573#issuecomment-754010776
@@ -428,7 +414,6 @@ macro_rules! tool_check_step {
                 run_cargo(
                     builder,
                     cargo,
-                    args(builder),
                     &stamp(builder, compiler, target),
                     vec![],
                     true,
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/clean.rs b/src/bootstrap/clean.rs
index 8e363ee1290ee..468efc1114c43 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/clean.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/clean.rs
@@ -9,11 +9,10 @@ use std::fs;
 use std::io::{self, ErrorKind};
 use std::path::Path;
 
-use crate::builder::{Builder, RunConfig, ShouldRun, Step};
+use crate::builder::{crate_description, Builder, RunConfig, ShouldRun, Step};
 use crate::cache::Interned;
-use crate::config::TargetSelection;
 use crate::util::t;
-use crate::{Build, Mode, Subcommand};
+use crate::{Build, Compiler, Mode, Subcommand};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
 pub struct CleanAll {}
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ macro_rules! clean_crate_tree {
     ( $( $name:ident, $mode:path, $root_crate:literal);+ $(;)? ) => { $(
         #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
         pub struct $name {
-            target: TargetSelection,
+            compiler: Compiler,
             crates: Interned<Vec<String>>,
         }
 
@@ -54,22 +53,21 @@ macro_rules! clean_crate_tree {
 
             fn make_run(run: RunConfig<'_>) {
                 let builder = run.builder;
-                if builder.top_stage != 0 {
-                    panic!("non-stage-0 clean not supported for individual crates");
-                }
-                builder.ensure(Self { crates: run.cargo_crates_in_set(), target: run.target });
+                let compiler = builder.compiler(builder.top_stage, run.target);
+                builder.ensure(Self { crates: run.cargo_crates_in_set(), compiler });
             }
 
             fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> Self::Output {
-                let compiler = builder.compiler(0, self.target);
-                let mut cargo = builder.bare_cargo(compiler, $mode, self.target, "clean");
+                let compiler = self.compiler;
+                let target = compiler.host;
+                let mut cargo = builder.bare_cargo(compiler, $mode, target, "clean");
                 for krate in &*self.crates {
                     cargo.arg(krate);
                 }
 
                 builder.info(&format!(
-                    "Cleaning stage{} {} artifacts ({} -> {})",
-                    compiler.stage, stringify!($name).to_lowercase(), &compiler.host, self.target
+                    "Cleaning{} stage{} {} artifacts ({} -> {})",
+                    crate_description(&self.crates), compiler.stage, stringify!($name).to_lowercase(), &compiler.host, target,
                 ));
 
                 // NOTE: doesn't use `run_cargo` because we don't want to save a stamp file,
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/compile.rs b/src/bootstrap/compile.rs
index 1030247b890c3..f9a04f2e91dbf 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/compile.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/compile.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use std::str;
 
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
+use crate::builder::crate_description;
 use crate::builder::Cargo;
 use crate::builder::{Builder, Kind, RunConfig, ShouldRun, Step};
 use crate::cache::{Interned, INTERNER};
@@ -110,7 +111,10 @@ impl Step for Std {
         let compiler_to_use = builder.compiler_for(compiler.stage, compiler.host, target);
         if compiler_to_use != compiler {
             builder.ensure(Std::new(compiler_to_use, target));
-            builder.info(&format!("Uplifting stage1 std ({} -> {})", compiler_to_use.host, target));
+            builder.info(&format!(
+                "Uplifting stage1 library ({} -> {})",
+                compiler_to_use.host, target
+            ));
 
             // Even if we're not building std this stage, the new sysroot must
             // still contain the third party objects needed by various targets.
@@ -126,19 +130,18 @@ impl Step for Std {
 
         let mut cargo = builder.cargo(compiler, Mode::Std, SourceType::InTree, target, "build");
         std_cargo(builder, target, compiler.stage, &mut cargo);
+        for krate in &*self.crates {
+            cargo.arg("-p").arg(krate);
+        }
 
         builder.info(&format!(
-            "Building stage{} std artifacts ({} -> {})",
-            compiler.stage, &compiler.host, target
+            "Building{} stage{} library artifacts ({} -> {})",
+            crate_description(&self.crates),
+            compiler.stage,
+            &compiler.host,
+            target,
         ));
-        run_cargo(
-            builder,
-            cargo,
-            self.crates.to_vec(),
-            &libstd_stamp(builder, compiler, target),
-            target_deps,
-            false,
-        );
+        run_cargo(builder, cargo, &libstd_stamp(builder, compiler, target), target_deps, false);
 
         builder.ensure(StdLink::from_std(
             self,
@@ -425,7 +428,7 @@ impl Step for StdLink {
         let target_compiler = self.target_compiler;
         let target = self.target;
         builder.info(&format!(
-            "Copying stage{} std from stage{} ({} -> {} / {})",
+            "Copying stage{} library from stage{} ({} -> {} / {})",
             target_compiler.stage, compiler.stage, &compiler.host, target_compiler.host, target
         ));
         let libdir = builder.sysroot_libdir(target_compiler, target);
@@ -714,18 +717,18 @@ impl Step for Rustc {
             }
         }
 
+        for krate in &*self.crates {
+            cargo.arg("-p").arg(krate);
+        }
+
         builder.info(&format!(
-            "Building stage{} compiler artifacts ({} -> {})",
-            compiler.stage, &compiler.host, target
+            "Building{} stage{} compiler artifacts ({} -> {})",
+            crate_description(&self.crates),
+            compiler.stage,
+            &compiler.host,
+            target,
         ));
-        run_cargo(
-            builder,
-            cargo,
-            self.crates.to_vec(),
-            &librustc_stamp(builder, compiler, target),
-            vec![],
-            false,
-        );
+        run_cargo(builder, cargo, &librustc_stamp(builder, compiler, target), vec![], false);
 
         builder.ensure(RustcLink::from_rustc(
             self,
@@ -981,7 +984,7 @@ impl Step for CodegenBackend {
             "Building stage{} codegen backend {} ({} -> {})",
             compiler.stage, backend, &compiler.host, target
         ));
-        let files = run_cargo(builder, cargo, vec![], &tmp_stamp, vec![], false);
+        let files = run_cargo(builder, cargo, &tmp_stamp, vec![], false);
         if builder.config.dry_run() {
             return;
         }
@@ -1405,7 +1408,6 @@ pub fn add_to_sysroot(
 pub fn run_cargo(
     builder: &Builder<'_>,
     cargo: Cargo,
-    tail_args: Vec<String>,
     stamp: &Path,
     additional_target_deps: Vec<(PathBuf, DependencyType)>,
     is_check: bool,
@@ -1431,7 +1433,7 @@ pub fn run_cargo(
     // files we need to probe for later.
     let mut deps = Vec::new();
     let mut toplevel = Vec::new();
-    let ok = stream_cargo(builder, cargo, tail_args, &mut |msg| {
+    let ok = stream_cargo(builder, cargo, &mut |msg| {
         let (filenames, crate_types) = match msg {
             CargoMessage::CompilerArtifact {
                 filenames,
@@ -1546,7 +1548,6 @@ pub fn run_cargo(
 pub fn stream_cargo(
     builder: &Builder<'_>,
     cargo: Cargo,
-    tail_args: Vec<String>,
     cb: &mut dyn FnMut(CargoMessage<'_>),
 ) -> bool {
     let mut cargo = Command::from(cargo);
@@ -1566,10 +1567,6 @@ pub fn stream_cargo(
     }
     cargo.arg("--message-format").arg(message_format).stdout(Stdio::piped());
 
-    for arg in tail_args {
-        cargo.arg(arg);
-    }
-
     builder.verbose(&format!("running: {:?}", cargo));
     let mut child = match cargo.spawn() {
         Ok(child) => child,
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/doc.rs b/src/bootstrap/doc.rs
index 3f43c68d2e082..9bad9046ecc2c 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/doc.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/doc.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use std::fs;
 use std::io;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
+use crate::builder::crate_description;
 use crate::builder::{Builder, Compiler, Kind, RunConfig, ShouldRun, Step};
 use crate::cache::{Interned, INTERNER};
 use crate::compile;
@@ -558,7 +559,8 @@ fn doc_std(
     requested_crates: &[String],
 ) {
     builder.info(&format!(
-        "Documenting stage{} std ({}) in {} format",
+        "Documenting{} stage{} library ({}) in {} format",
+        crate_description(requested_crates),
         stage,
         target,
         format.as_str()
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/test.rs
index c8b4134391e5f..d5bec268a4567 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/test.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use std::iter;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
 
+use crate::builder::crate_description;
 use crate::builder::{Builder, Compiler, Kind, RunConfig, ShouldRun, Step};
 use crate::cache::Interned;
 use crate::compile;
@@ -2154,8 +2155,12 @@ impl Step for Crate {
         }
 
         builder.info(&format!(
-            "{} {:?} stage{} ({} -> {})",
-            test_kind, self.crates, compiler.stage, &compiler.host, target
+            "{}{} stage{} ({} -> {})",
+            test_kind,
+            crate_description(&self.crates),
+            compiler.stage,
+            &compiler.host,
+            target
         ));
         let _time = util::timeit(&builder);
         try_run(builder, &mut cargo.into());
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/tool.rs b/src/bootstrap/tool.rs
index 24b033cc0dc5e..63026bd44d475 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/tool.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/tool.rs
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ impl Step for ToolBuild {
 
         builder.info(&format!("Building stage{} tool {} ({})", compiler.stage, tool, target));
         let mut duplicates = Vec::new();
-        let is_expected = compile::stream_cargo(builder, cargo, vec![], &mut |msg| {
+        let is_expected = compile::stream_cargo(builder, cargo, &mut |msg| {
             // Only care about big things like the RLS/Cargo for now
             match tool {
                 "rls" | "cargo" | "clippy-driver" | "miri" | "rustfmt" => {}