diff --git a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/logger.py b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/logger.py
index da5e6f040718..64cb7e512a34 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/logger.py
+++ b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/logger.py
@@ -234,13 +234,15 @@ class CompositeLogger(AbstractLogger):
 
 class TerminalLogger(AbstractLogger):
     def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self._start_time = time.monotonic()
         self._print_serial_logs = True
         self._log_level = LogLevel.INFO
 
     def maybe_prefix(self, message: str, attributes: dict[str, str]) -> str:
+        elapsed = time.monotonic() - self._start_time
         if "machine" in attributes:
-            return f"{attributes['machine']}: {message}"
-        return message
+            message = f"{attributes['machine']}: {message}"
+        return f"[{elapsed:.2f}s] {message}"
 
     @staticmethod
     def _eprint(*args: object, **kwargs: Any) -> None: