diff --git a/.papr.yml b/.papr.yml
index 0a0c4cfc..72173af6 100644
--- a/.papr.yml
+++ b/.papr.yml
@@ -203,5 +203,7 @@ tests:
   - ci/installdeps.sh
   - yum remove -y cargo
   - curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh -s -- --default-toolchain $RUST_MIN_VERSION -y
-  - PATH=$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH sh -c 'cd rust && rustc --version && cargo build' |& tee out.txt
+  - PATH=$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH ci/build.sh |& tee out.txt
   - grep $RUST_MIN_VERSION out.txt
+  - grep "checking for cargo... $HOME/.cargo/bin/cargo" out.txt
+  - grep "checking for rustc... $HOME/.cargo/bin/rustc" out.txt
diff --git a/ci/build.sh b/ci/build.sh
index 7346b677..2cbcbee7 100755
--- a/ci/build.sh
+++ b/ci/build.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ if ! getent passwd testuser; then
   adduser testuser
 fi
 
+# make it clear what rustc version we're compiling with (this is grepped in CI)
+rustc --version
+
 export LSAN_OPTIONS=verbosity=1:log_threads=1
 # And now the build
 build --enable-installed-tests --enable-gtk-doc ${CONFIGOPTS:-}