diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index a1426bb2a0149..3c8b46a7d3ba5 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -661,6 +661,15 @@ If you have any problems with formatting, please ping the [formatting team](http
As an exception, an explicit conditional expression with null can be used when fixing a important bug without triggering a mass rebuild.
If this is done a follow up pull request _should_ be created to change the code to `lib.optional(s)`.
+- Certain [prelude
+ attributes](https://nix.dev/manual/nix/latest/language/builtins.html) should
+ explicitly use the `builtins` prefix, while others should conveniently omit
+ it:
+
+ | Use `builtins` | Omit `builtins` |
+ |----------------|-----------------|
+ |
`builtins.abort``builtins.baseNameOf``builtins.break``builtins.derivation``builtins.derivationStrict``builtins.dirOf``builtins.false``builtins.fetchGit``builtins.fetchMercurial``builtins.fetchTarball``builtins.fetchTree``builtins.fromTOML``builtins.import``builtins.isNull``builtins.map``builtins.null``builtins.placeholder``builtins.removeAttrs``builtins.scopedImport``builtins.throw``builtins.toString``builtins.true` | `abort``baseNameOf``break``derivation``derivationStrict``dirOf``false``fetchGit``fetchMercurial``fetchTarball``fetchTree``fromTOML``import``isNull``map``null``placeholder``removeAttrs``scopedImport``throw``toString``true` |
+
- Any style choices not covered here but that can be expressed as general rules should be left at the discretion of the authors of changes and _not_ commented in reviews.
The purpose of this is:
- to avoid churn as contributors with different style preferences undo each other's changes,