diff --git a/mk/versions.mk b/mk/versions.mk
index 43be932b05..cf88e4a2fe 100644
--- a/mk/versions.mk
+++ b/mk/versions.mk
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ ifeq ($$(IGNORE_$(2)_VERSION),)
 			if test x$$(RESET_VERSIONS) != "x"; then \
 				make reset-$(1) || exit 1; \
 			else \
-				echo "Your $(1) version is out of date, please run 'make reset-$(1)' (found $($(2)_VERSION), expected $(NEEDED_$(2)_VERSION))"; \
+				echo "Your $(1) version is out of date, please run 'make reset-$(1)' (found $($(2)_VERSION), expected $(NEEDED_$(2)_VERSION)). Alternatively export IGNORE_$(2)_VERSION=1 to skip this check."; \
 				test -z "$(BUILD_REVISION)" || $(MAKE) test-$(1); \
 				touch .check-versions-failure; \
 			fi; \
diff --git a/mk/xamarin.mk b/mk/xamarin.mk
index 35119030c2..294c6a3a14 100644
--- a/mk/xamarin.mk
+++ b/mk/xamarin.mk
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ check-$(1)::
 				if test x$$(RESET_VERSIONS) != "x"; then \
 					make reset-$(1) || exit 1; \
 				else \
-					echo "Your $(1) version is out of date, please run 'make reset-$(1)' (found $($(2)_VERSION), expected $(NEEDED_$(2)_VERSION))"; \
+					echo "Your $(1) version is out of date, please run 'make reset-$(1)' (found $($(2)_VERSION), expected $(NEEDED_$(2)_VERSION)). Alternatively export IGNORE_$(2)_VERSION=1 to skip this check."; \
 					test -z "$(BUILD_REVISION)" || $(MAKE) test-$(1); \
 					touch .check-versions-failure; \
 				fi; \
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ check-$(1)::
 					test -z "$(BUILD_REVISION)" || $(MAKE) test-$(1); \
 					make reset-$(1) || exit 1; \
 				else \
-					echo "Your $(1) branch is out of date, please run 'make reset-$(1)' (found $($(2)_BRANCH), expected $(NEEDED_$(2)_BRANCH))"; \
+					echo "Your $(1) branch is out of date, please run 'make reset-$(1)' (found $($(2)_BRANCH), expected $(NEEDED_$(2)_BRANCH)). Alternatively export IGNORE_$(2)_VERSION=1 to skip this check."; \
 					touch .check-versions-failure; \
 				fi; \
 			else \