diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 154ba5ef8f..cb294a8036 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -273,7 +273,6 @@ if(CURL_CLANG_TIDY)
     set(PICKY_COMPILER OFF)  # Do a best effort and skip passing non-clang warning options to clang-tidy.
     # This lets through warning options enabled via CURL_WERROR=ON, affecting lib and src.
   endif()
-  set(CMAKE_UNITY_BUILD OFF)  # clang-tidy is not looking into #included sources, thus not compatible with unity builds.
   set(CURL_DISABLE_TYPECHECK ON)  # to improve performance and avoid potential interference.
   set(CMAKE_C_CLANG_TIDY "${CLANG_TIDY}")
   list(APPEND CMAKE_C_CLANG_TIDY "--config-file=${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/.clang-tidy.yml")
diff --git a/docs/INSTALL-CMAKE.md b/docs/INSTALL-CMAKE.md
index 428431d61d..d59a509d47 100644
--- a/docs/INSTALL-CMAKE.md
+++ b/docs/INSTALL-CMAKE.md
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ target_link_libraries(my_target PRIVATE CURL::libcurl)
                                             Set `QUICK` to build examples quickly with the `curl-examples-build` target (for build tests).
                                             Set `NOEXAMPLES` to not build examples.
 - `CURL_CLANG_TIDY`:                        Run the build through `clang-tidy`. Default: `OFF`
-                                            If enabled, it implies `CMAKE_UNITY_BUILD=OFF` and `CURL_DISABLE_TYPECHECK=ON`.
+                                            If enabled, it implies `CURL_DISABLE_TYPECHECK=ON` and force-disables unity mode
+                                            for libcurl and the curl tool.
 - `CURL_CLANG_TIDYFLAGS`:                   Custom options to pass to `clang-tidy`. Default: (empty)
 - `CURL_CODE_COVERAGE`:                     Enable code coverage build options. Default: `OFF`
 - `CURL_COMPLETION_FISH`:                   Install fish completions. Default: `OFF`
diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 8d8215de94..f20873cdbf 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ if(SHARE_LIB_OBJECT AND CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.12)
       set_target_properties(${LIB_OBJECT} PROPERTIES INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION TRUE)
     endif()
   endif()
+  if(CURL_CLANG_TIDY)
+    set_target_properties(${LIB_OBJECT} PROPERTIES UNITY_BUILD OFF)
+  endif()
   if(CURL_CODE_COVERAGE)
     set_property(TARGET ${LIB_OBJECT} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS ${CURL_COVERAGE_MACROS})
     set_property(TARGET ${LIB_OBJECT} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_OPTIONS ${CURL_COVERAGE_CFLAGS})
@@ -167,8 +170,12 @@ if(BUILD_STATIC_LIBS)
       set_target_properties(${LIB_STATIC} PROPERTIES INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION TRUE)
     endif()
   endif()
-  if(CURL_CLANG_TIDY AND BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)  # disable clang-tidy for static, and limit to the shared library, if both enabled
-    set_target_properties(${LIB_STATIC} PROPERTIES C_CLANG_TIDY "")
+  if(CURL_CLANG_TIDY)
+    if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)  # disable clang-tidy for static, and limit to the shared library, if both enabled
+      set_target_properties(${LIB_STATIC} PROPERTIES C_CLANG_TIDY "")
+    else()
+      set_target_properties(${LIB_STATIC} PROPERTIES UNITY_BUILD OFF)
+    endif()
   endif()
   if(CURL_CODE_COVERAGE)
     set_property(TARGET ${LIB_STATIC} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS ${CURL_COVERAGE_MACROS})
@@ -232,6 +239,9 @@ if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
       set_target_properties(${LIB_SHARED} PROPERTIES INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION TRUE)
     endif()
   endif()
+  if(CURL_CLANG_TIDY)
+    set_target_properties(${LIB_SHARED} PROPERTIES UNITY_BUILD OFF)
+  endif()
   if(CURL_CODE_COVERAGE)
     set_property(TARGET ${LIB_SHARED} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS ${CURL_COVERAGE_MACROS})
     set_property(TARGET ${LIB_SHARED} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_OPTIONS ${CURL_COVERAGE_CFLAGS})
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index c72c9496b2..0063b438c2 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ set_target_properties(curltool PROPERTIES C_CLANG_TIDY "")
 if(CURL_HAS_LTO)
   set_target_properties(${EXE_NAME} PROPERTIES INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION TRUE)
 endif()
+if(CURL_CLANG_TIDY)
+  set_target_properties(${EXE_NAME} PROPERTIES UNITY_BUILD OFF)
+endif()
 
 if(ENABLE_UNICODE AND MINGW)
   if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.13)