diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@
 add_custom_target(check-extended)
 add_custom_target(check-upgrade-activated)
 add_custom_target(check-upgrade-activated-extended)
-add_custom_target(check-symbols)
 
 include(PackageHelper)
 exclude_git_ignored_files_from_source_package()
diff --git a/cmake/modules/BinaryTest.cmake b/cmake/modules/BinaryTest.cmake
--- a/cmake/modules/BinaryTest.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/BinaryTest.cmake
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 # Facilities to run tests on the executable binaries.
 
 macro(add_to_symbols_check BINARY)
-	set(CUSTOM_TARGET_NAME "check-symbols-${BINARY}")
+	if(NOT TARGET symbol-check)
+		add_custom_target(symbol-check)
+	endif()
+
+	set(CUSTOM_TARGET_NAME "symbol-check-${BINARY}")
 	add_custom_target("${CUSTOM_TARGET_NAME}"
-		COMMAND
-			${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "Running symbol-check.py on ${BINARY}..."
+		COMMENT "Running symbol-check.py on ${BINARY}..."
 		COMMAND
 			"${Python_EXECUTABLE}"
 			"${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/contrib/devtools/symbol-check.py"
@@ -13,9 +16,7 @@
 			"${BINARY}"
 	)
 
-	if(TARGET check-symbols)
-		add_dependencies(check-symbols "${CUSTOM_TARGET_NAME}")
-	endif()
+	add_dependencies(symbol-check "${CUSTOM_TARGET_NAME}")
 endmacro()
 
 macro(add_to_security_check BINARY)
diff --git a/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-linux.yml b/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-linux.yml
--- a/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-linux.yml
+++ b/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-linux.yml
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
 
     ninja
     ninja security-check
-    ninja check-symbols
+    ninja symbol-check
 
     for _component in ${INSTALL_COMPONENTS}; do
        cmake -DCOMPONENT=${_component} -P cmake_install.cmake