diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs
index 8bbd03ac3afa..55426bfffc73 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/check.rs
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ impl Step for $name {
             const IS_HOST: bool = true;
 
             fn should_run(run: ShouldRun<'_>) -> ShouldRun<'_> {
-                run.paths(&[ $path, $( $alt_path ),* ])
+                run.path($path) $( .path( $alt_path ) )*
             }
 
             fn is_default_step(_builder: &Builder<'_>) -> bool {
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
index 0add77f0b09a..1ab76ef8f91d 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
@@ -3156,7 +3156,7 @@ impl Step for CrateRustdoc {
     const IS_HOST: bool = true;
 
     fn should_run(run: ShouldRun<'_>) -> ShouldRun<'_> {
-        run.paths(&["src/librustdoc", "src/tools/rustdoc"])
+        run.path("src/librustdoc").path("src/tools/rustdoc")
     }
 
     fn is_default_step(_builder: &Builder<'_>) -> bool {
@@ -3817,7 +3817,7 @@ impl Step for CodegenCranelift {
     const IS_HOST: bool = true;
 
     fn should_run(run: ShouldRun<'_>) -> ShouldRun<'_> {
-        run.paths(&["compiler/rustc_codegen_cranelift"])
+        run.path("compiler/rustc_codegen_cranelift")
     }
 
     fn is_default_step(_builder: &Builder<'_>) -> bool {
@@ -3938,7 +3938,7 @@ impl Step for CodegenGCC {
     const IS_HOST: bool = true;
 
     fn should_run(run: ShouldRun<'_>) -> ShouldRun<'_> {
-        run.paths(&["compiler/rustc_codegen_gcc"])
+        run.path("compiler/rustc_codegen_gcc")
     }
 
     fn is_default_step(_builder: &Builder<'_>) -> bool {
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_bench.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_bench.snap
index 8a7815487913..13a06e353d89 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_bench.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_bench.snap
@@ -98,4 +98,5 @@ expression: bench
     - Set({bench::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Bench] test::CrateRustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({bench::src/librustdoc, bench::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({bench::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({bench::src/tools/rustdoc})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check.snap
index 0fe26fac57fc..4c3b6e11b0e4 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check.snap
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ expression: check
     - Set({check::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Check] check::Rustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({check::src/librustdoc, check::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({check::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({check::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Check] check::CraneliftCodegenBackend
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({check::cg_clif})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check_compiletest_include_default_paths.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check_compiletest_include_default_paths.snap
index dae515c67ec6..16348adc79df 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check_compiletest_include_default_paths.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_check_compiletest_include_default_paths.snap
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ expression: check compiletest --include-default-paths
     - Set({check::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Check] check::Rustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({check::src/librustdoc, check::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({check::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({check::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Check] check::CraneliftCodegenBackend
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({check::cg_clif})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_fix.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_fix.snap
index 222c0ffb4050..8a11b4d89dde 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_fix.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_fix.snap
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ expression: fix
     - Set({fix::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Fix] check::Rustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({fix::src/librustdoc, fix::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({fix::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({fix::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Fix] check::CraneliftCodegenBackend
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({fix::cg_clif})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test.snap
index 4ab84c3cabc1..46e93aa667cc 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test.snap
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@ expression: test
     - Set({test::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({test::src/librustdoc, test::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdocJsonTypes
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({test::src/rustdoc-json-types})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_librustdoc_rustdoc.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_librustdoc_rustdoc.snap
index c8eee72aec42..8dcdce0c17ab 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_librustdoc_rustdoc.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_librustdoc_rustdoc.snap
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ expression: test librustdoc rustdoc
 ---
 [Test] test::CrateRustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({test::src/librustdoc, test::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Test] test::RustdocBook
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({test::src/doc/rustdoc})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_coverage.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_coverage.snap
index 2a4805e4fd68..c27da5a2a9e2 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_coverage.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_coverage.snap
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ expression: test --skip=coverage
     - Set({test::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({test::src/librustdoc, test::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdocJsonTypes
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({test::src/rustdoc-json-types})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests.snap
index 1468964c7818..d5d709a60b49 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests.snap
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ expression: test --skip=tests
     - Set({test::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({test::src/librustdoc, test::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdocJsonTypes
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({test::src/rustdoc-json-types})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests_etc.snap b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests_etc.snap
index 7ff6a201e77a..85ca8f6ef7a0 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests_etc.snap
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/cli_paths/snapshots/x_test_skip_tests_etc.snap
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ expression: test --skip=tests --skip=coverage-map --skip=coverage-run --skip=lib
     - Set({test::compiler/rustc_windows_rc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdoc
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    - Set({test::src/librustdoc, test::src/tools/rustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/librustdoc})
+    - Set({test::src/tools/rustdoc})
 [Test] test::CrateRustdocJsonTypes
     targets: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
     - Set({test::src/rustdoc-json-types})
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs
index a995f5c8a219..ae91b2040629 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/builder/mod.rs
@@ -558,38 +558,19 @@ pub fn alias(mut self, alias: &str) -> Self {
     /// single, non-aliased path
     ///
     /// Must be an on-disk path; use `alias` for names that do not correspond to on-disk paths.
-    pub fn path(self, path: &str) -> Self {
-        self.paths(&[path])
-    }
-
-    /// Multiple aliases for the same job.
-    ///
-    /// This differs from [`path`] in that multiple calls to path will end up calling `make_run`
-    /// multiple times, whereas a single call to `paths` will only ever generate a single call to
-    /// `make_run`.
-    ///
-    /// This is analogous to `all_krates`, although `all_krates` is gone now. Prefer [`path`] where possible.
-    ///
-    /// [`path`]: ShouldRun::path
-    pub fn paths(mut self, paths: &[&str]) -> Self {
+    pub fn path(mut self, path: &str) -> Self {
         let submodules_paths = self.builder.submodule_paths();
 
-        self.paths.insert(PathSet::Set(
-            paths
-                .iter()
-                .map(|p| {
-                    // assert only if `p` isn't submodule
-                    if !submodules_paths.iter().any(|sm_p| p.contains(sm_p)) {
-                        assert!(
-                            self.builder.src.join(p).exists(),
-                            "`should_run.paths` should correspond to real on-disk paths - use `alias` if there is no relevant path: {p}"
-                        );
-                    }
+        // assert only if `p` isn't submodule
+        if !submodules_paths.iter().any(|sm_p| path.contains(sm_p)) {
+            assert!(
+                self.builder.src.join(path).exists(),
+                "`should_run.path` should correspond to a real on-disk path - use `alias` if there is no relevant path: {path}"
+            );
+        }
 
-                    TaskPath { path: p.into(), kind: Some(self.kind) }
-                })
-                .collect(),
-        ));
+        let task = TaskPath { path: path.into(), kind: Some(self.kind) };
+        self.paths.insert(PathSet::Set(BTreeSet::from_iter([task])));
         self
     }