diff --git a/.github/workflows/doc-build-pdf.yml b/.github/workflows/doc-build-pdf.yml
index 0413954210b..2ac2d164d2e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/doc-build-pdf.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/doc-build-pdf.yml
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ jobs:
           ./bootstrap && make build
         working-directory: ./worktree-image
         env:
-          MAKE: make -j2
+          MAKE: make -j2 --output-sync=recurse
           SAGE_NUM_THREADS: 2
 
       - name: Build (fallback to non-incremental)
@@ -118,19 +118,20 @@ jobs:
         if: always() && steps.worktree.outcome == 'success' && steps.incremental.outcome != 'success'
         run: |
           set -ex
-          make doc-clean doc-uninstall sagelib-clean && git clean -fx src/sage && ./config.status && make build
+          make sagelib-clean && git clean -fx src/sage && ./config.status && make build
         working-directory: ./worktree-image
         env:
-          MAKE: make -j2
+          MAKE: make -j2 --output-sync=recurse
           SAGE_NUM_THREADS: 2
 
       - name: Build docs (PDF)
         id: docbuild
         if: always() && (steps.incremental.outcome == 'success' || steps.build.outcome == 'success')
-        run: make build V=0 && make doc-pdf
+        run: |
+          make doc-clean doc-uninstall; make doc-pdf
         working-directory: ./worktree-image
         env:
-          MAKE: make -j2
+          MAKE: make -j2 --output-sync=recurse
           SAGE_NUM_THREADS: 2
 
       - name: Copy docs
diff --git a/.github/workflows/doc-build.yml b/.github/workflows/doc-build.yml
index 355e07ab78e..341b5aa4d62 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/doc-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/doc-build.yml
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ jobs:
         if: always() && steps.worktree.outcome == 'success' && steps.incremental.outcome != 'success'
         run: |
           set -ex
-          make doc-clean doc-uninstall sagelib-clean && git clean -fx src/sage && ./config.status && make build
+          make sagelib-clean && git clean -fx src/sage && ./config.status && make build
         working-directory: ./worktree-image
         env:
           MAKE: make -j2 --output-sync=recurse
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ jobs:
           set -ex
           export SAGE_USE_CDNS=yes
           mv /sage/local/share/doc/sage/html/en/.git /sage/.git-doc
-          make doc-clean doc-uninstall sagelib-clean && git clean -fx src/sage
+          make doc-clean doc-uninstall
           mkdir -p /sage/local/share/doc/sage/html/en/ && mv /sage/.git-doc /sage/local/share/doc/sage/html/en/.git
           ./config.status && make doc-html
         working-directory: ./worktree-image