diff --git a/src/bootstrap/dist.rs b/src/bootstrap/dist.rs
index 774f4e6e8bf..c9be17ff1ad 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/dist.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/dist.rs
@@ -1480,7 +1480,7 @@ impl Step for Extended {
                 build.cp_r(&work.join(&format!("{}-{}", pkgname(build, name), target))
                             .join(dir),
                         &exe.join(name));
-                t!(fs::remove_file(exe.join(name).join("manifest.in")));
+                build.remove(&exe.join(name).join("manifest.in"));
             };
             prepare("rustc");
             prepare("cargo");
@@ -1498,7 +1498,7 @@ impl Step for Extended {
             build.install(&etc.join("exe/modpath.iss"), &exe, 0o644);
             build.install(&etc.join("exe/upgrade.iss"), &exe, 0o644);
             build.install(&etc.join("gfx/rust-logo.ico"), &exe, 0o644);
-            t!(t!(File::create(exe.join("LICENSE.txt"))).write_all(license.as_bytes()));
+            build.create(&exe.join("LICENSE.txt"), &license);
 
             // Generate exe installer
             let mut cmd = Command::new("iscc");
@@ -1633,7 +1633,7 @@ impl Step for Extended {
                 candle("GccGroup.wxs".as_ref());
             }
 
-            t!(t!(File::create(exe.join("LICENSE.rtf"))).write_all(rtf.as_bytes()));
+            build.create(&exe.join("LICENSE.rtf"), &rtf);
             build.install(&etc.join("gfx/banner.bmp"), &exe, 0o644);
             build.install(&etc.join("gfx/dialogbg.bmp"), &exe, 0o644);
 
@@ -1665,7 +1665,9 @@ impl Step for Extended {
 
             build.run(&mut cmd);
 
-            t!(fs::rename(exe.join(&filename), distdir(build).join(&filename)));
+            if !build.config.dry_run {
+                t!(fs::rename(exe.join(&filename), distdir(build).join(&filename)));
+            }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1717,6 +1719,9 @@ impl Step for HashSign {
     fn run(self, builder: &Builder) {
         let build = builder.build;
         let mut cmd = builder.tool_cmd(Tool::BuildManifest);
+        if build.config.dry_run {
+            return;
+        }
         let sign = build.config.dist_sign_folder.as_ref().unwrap_or_else(|| {
             panic!("\n\nfailed to specify `dist.sign-folder` in `config.toml`\n\n")
         });
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/lib.rs b/src/bootstrap/lib.rs
index c677d78d07b..c76b6180749 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/lib.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/lib.rs
@@ -1178,6 +1178,11 @@ impl Build {
         };
         iter.map(|e| t!(e)).collect::<Vec<_>>().into_iter()
     }
+
+    fn remove(&self, f: &Path) {
+        if self.config.dry_run { return; }
+        fs::remove_file(f).unwrap_or_else(|_| panic!("failed to remove {:?}", f));
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(unix)]
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/native.rs b/src/bootstrap/native.rs
index c92d5c6f7ca..db5891afd6b 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/native.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/native.rs
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ fn check_llvm_version(build: &Build, llvm_config: &Path) {
         return
     }
 
+    if build.config.dry_run {
+        return;
+    }
+
     let mut cmd = Command::new(llvm_config);
     let version = output(cmd.arg("--version"));
     let mut parts = version.split('.').take(2)
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/test.rs
index 39740a83b0d..c175d2c6901 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/test.rs
@@ -926,15 +926,17 @@ impl Step for Compiletest {
                 target: build.config.build,
                 emscripten: false,
             });
-            let llvm_version = output(Command::new(&llvm_config).arg("--version"));
-            cmd.arg("--llvm-version").arg(llvm_version);
+            if !build.config.dry_run {
+                let llvm_version = output(Command::new(&llvm_config).arg("--version"));
+                cmd.arg("--llvm-version").arg(llvm_version);
+            }
             if !build.is_rust_llvm(target) {
                 cmd.arg("--system-llvm");
             }
 
             // Only pass correct values for these flags for the `run-make` suite as it
             // requires that a C++ compiler was configured which isn't always the case.
-            if suite == "run-make-fulldeps" {
+            if !build.config.dry_run && suite == "run-make-fulldeps" {
                 let llvm_components = output(Command::new(&llvm_config).arg("--components"));
                 let llvm_cxxflags = output(Command::new(&llvm_config).arg("--cxxflags"));
                 cmd.arg("--cc").arg(build.cc(target))
@@ -1177,11 +1179,15 @@ impl Step for ErrorIndex {
 
 fn markdown_test(builder: &Builder, compiler: Compiler, markdown: &Path) -> bool {
     let build = builder.build;
-    let mut file = t!(File::open(markdown));
-    let mut contents = String::new();
-    t!(file.read_to_string(&mut contents));
-    if !contents.contains("```") {
-        return true;
+    match File::open(markdown) {
+        Ok(mut file) => {
+            let mut contents = String::new();
+            t!(file.read_to_string(&mut contents));
+            if !contents.contains("```") {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        Err(_) => {},
     }
 
     build.info(&format!("doc tests for: {}", markdown.display()));