diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 683f85dd57..37e9d3db4d 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ endif
 TIDY := clang-tidy
 
 tidy:
-	cd $(srcdir) && $(TIDY) $(CSOURCES) $(TIDYFLAGS) $(CURL_CLANG_TIDYFLAGS) -- $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
+	_curl_cfiles=`echo ' $(CURL_CFILES)' | sed -e 's/ +/ /g' -e 's| | $(srcdir)/|g'`
+	$(TIDY) $(CSOURCES) $(TIDYFLAGS) $(CURL_CLANG_TIDYFLAGS) -- $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
 
 optiontable:
 	perl optiontable.pl < $(top_srcdir)/include/curl/curl.h > easyoptions.c
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index f8a0594754..6e983de450 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -206,7 +206,8 @@ endif
 TIDY := clang-tidy
 
 tidy: $(HUGE) $(CA_EMBED_CSOURCE)
-	cd $(srcdir) && $(TIDY) $(CURL_CFILES) $(curl_cfiles_gen) $(TIDYFLAGS) $(CURL_CLANG_TIDYFLAGS) -- $(curl_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
+	_curl_cfiles=`echo ' $(CURL_CFILES)' | sed -e 's/ +/ /g' -e 's| | $(srcdir)/|g'`
+	$(TIDY) ${_curl_cfiles} $(curl_cfiles_gen) $(TIDYFLAGS) $(CURL_CLANG_TIDYFLAGS) -- $(curl_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
 
 listhelp:
 	(cd $(top_srcdir)/docs/cmdline-opts && make listhelp)