diff --git a/src/cargo/core/compiler/fingerprint/mod.rs b/src/cargo/core/compiler/fingerprint/mod.rs
index 925123a8a10..5bbe804e913 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/compiler/fingerprint/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/compiler/fingerprint/mod.rs
@@ -1742,7 +1742,14 @@ fn compare_old_fingerprint(
     mtime_on_use: bool,
     forced: bool,
 ) -> Option<DirtyReason> {
-    let compare = _compare_old_fingerprint(old_hash_path, new_fingerprint, mtime_on_use);
+    if mtime_on_use {
+        // update the mtime so other cleaners know we used it
+        let t = FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now());
+        debug!("mtime-on-use forcing {:?} to {}", old_hash_path, t);
+        paths::set_file_time_no_err(old_hash_path, t);
+    }
+
+    let compare = _compare_old_fingerprint(old_hash_path, new_fingerprint);
     log_compare(unit, &compare);
     match compare {
         Ok(None) if forced => Some(DirtyReason::Forced),
@@ -1754,17 +1761,9 @@ fn compare_old_fingerprint(
 fn _compare_old_fingerprint(
     old_hash_path: &Path,
     new_fingerprint: &Fingerprint,
-    mtime_on_use: bool,
 ) -> CargoResult<Option<DirtyReason>> {
     let old_fingerprint_short = paths::read(old_hash_path)?;
 
-    if mtime_on_use {
-        // update the mtime so other cleaners know we used it
-        let t = FileTime::from_system_time(SystemTime::now());
-        debug!("mtime-on-use forcing {:?} to {}", old_hash_path, t);
-        paths::set_file_time_no_err(old_hash_path, t);
-    }
-
     let new_hash = new_fingerprint.hash_u64();
 
     if util::to_hex(new_hash) == old_fingerprint_short && new_fingerprint.fs_status.up_to_date() {