diff --git a/tests/checks/check-all-fish-files.fish b/tests/checks/check-all-fish-files.fish
index 5d4beb423..f9cda13a4 100644
--- a/tests/checks/check-all-fish-files.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/check-all-fish-files.fish
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@
 # Test ALL THE FISH FILES
 # in share/, that is - the tests are exempt because they contain syntax errors, on purpose
 
-for file in $__fish_data_dir/**.fish
+set timestamp_file ./last_check_all_files
+set -l find_args
+if test -f $timestamp_file
+    set find_args -mnewer $timestamp_file
+end
+for file in (find $__fish_data_dir/ -name "*.fish" $find_args)
     $fish -n $file
 end
+touch $timestamp_file
 # No output is good output