diff --git a/.ci/lint-cpp.sh b/.ci/lint-cpp.sh
index a4c21abc9ff1..6f07f0d7254b 100755
--- a/.ci/lint-cpp.sh
+++ b/.ci/lint-cpp.sh
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 set -e -E -u -o pipefail
 
 echo "running include-what-you-use"
-include-what-you-use -h
-cmake -B build -S . -DCMAKE_C_INCLUDE_WHAT_YOU_USE=include-what-you-use -DCMAKE_CXX_INCLUDE_WHAT_YOU_USE=include-what-you-use -G Ninja
+cmake -B build -S . -DCMAKE_C_INCLUDE_WHAT_YOU_USE="include-what-you-use;-Xiwyu;any;-Xiwyu;iwyu;-Xiwyu;args" -DCMAKE_CXX_INCLUDE_WHAT_YOU_USE="include-what-you-use;-Xiwyu;any;-Xiwyu;iwyu;-Xiwyu;args" -G Ninja
 cmake --build build --target _lightgbm -j4 || true
 echo "done running include-what-you-use"