diff --git a/doc/contributing.texi b/doc/contributing.texi
index ee72b2f94d..346f2a5143 100644
--- a/doc/contributing.texi
+++ b/doc/contributing.texi
@@ -961,6 +961,13 @@ often better to clone the repository.  Don't use the @command{name} field in
 the URL: it is not very useful and if the name changes, the URL will probably
 be wrong.
 
+@item
+See if Guix builds with
+@example
+guix environment --pure guix -- make
+@end example
+and look for warnings, especially those about use of undefined symbols.
+
 @end enumerate
 
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