diff --git a/src/cargo/core/compiler/custom_build.rs b/src/cargo/core/compiler/custom_build.rs
index 874b08102f76..cdde79501ed6 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/compiler/custom_build.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/compiler/custom_build.rs
@@ -737,10 +737,12 @@ impl BuildOutput {
                 let new_syntax_added_in = RustVersion::from_str("1.77.0")?;
                 if !new_syntax_added_in.is_compatible_with(msrv.as_partial()) {
                     let old_syntax_suggestion = if has_reserved_prefix(flag) {
-                        format!("Consider using the old `cargo:` syntax in front of `{flag}`.\n")
+                        format!(
+                            "Switch to the old `cargo:{flag}` syntax (note the single colon).\n"
+                        )
                     } else if flag.starts_with("metadata=") {
                         let old_format_flag = flag.strip_prefix("metadata=").unwrap();
-                        format!("Consider using the old `cargo:{old_format_flag}` syntax instead of `cargo::{flag}` (note the single colon).\n")
+                        format!("Switch to the old `cargo:{old_format_flag}` syntax instead of `cargo::{flag}` (note the single colon).\n")
                     } else {
                         String::new()
                     };
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs b/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs
index 367ae3465226..ef76309233b6 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs
@@ -5501,7 +5501,7 @@ fn test_new_syntax_with_old_msrv() {
 [COMPILING] foo [..]
 [ERROR] the `cargo::` syntax for build script output instructions was added in Rust 1.77.0, \
 but the minimum supported Rust version of `foo v0.5.0 ([ROOT]/foo)` is 1.60.0.
-Consider using the old `cargo:foo=bar` syntax instead of `cargo::metadata=foo=bar` (note the single colon).
+Switch to the old `cargo:foo=bar` syntax instead of `cargo::metadata=foo=bar` (note the single colon).
 See https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/build-scripts.html#outputs-of-the-build-script \
 for more information about build script outputs.
 ",
@@ -5542,7 +5542,7 @@ fn test_new_syntax_with_old_msrv_and_reserved_prefix() {
 [COMPILING] foo [..]
 [ERROR] the `cargo::` syntax for build script output instructions was added in Rust 1.77.0, \
 but the minimum supported Rust version of `foo v0.5.0 ([ROOT]/foo)` is 1.60.0.
-Consider using the old `cargo:` syntax in front of `rustc-check-cfg=cfg(foo)`.
+Switch to the old `cargo:rustc-check-cfg=cfg(foo)` syntax (note the single colon).
 See https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/build-scripts.html#outputs-of-the-build-script \
 for more information about build script outputs.
 ",