diff --git a/ale_linters/c/clangtidy.vim b/ale_linters/c/clangtidy.vim
index 54137480..4f334655 100644
--- a/ale_linters/c/clangtidy.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/c/clangtidy.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ call ale#Set('c_clangtidy_executable', 'clang-tidy')
 " Consult the check list in clang-tidy's documentation:
 " http://clang.llvm.org/extra/clang-tidy/checks/list.html
 
-call ale#Set('c_clangtidy_checks', ['*'])
+call ale#Set('c_clangtidy_checks', [])
 " Set this option to manually set some options for clang-tidy.
 " This will disable compile_commands.json detection.
 call ale#Set('c_clangtidy_options', '')
diff --git a/ale_linters/cpp/clangtidy.vim b/ale_linters/cpp/clangtidy.vim
index 2f3089b4..9c3da8db 100644
--- a/ale_linters/cpp/clangtidy.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/cpp/clangtidy.vim
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 call ale#Set('cpp_clangtidy_executable', 'clang-tidy')
 " Set this option to check the checks clang-tidy will apply.
-call ale#Set('cpp_clangtidy_checks', ['*'])
+call ale#Set('cpp_clangtidy_checks', [])
 " Set this option to manually set some options for clang-tidy.
 " This will disable compile_commands.json detection.
 call ale#Set('cpp_clangtidy_options', '')
diff --git a/doc/ale-c.txt b/doc/ale-c.txt
index 2a2a879e..be0a3d77 100644
--- a/doc/ale-c.txt
+++ b/doc/ale-c.txt
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ overrides |g:ale_c_build_dir_names|.
 g:ale_c_clangtidy_checks                             *g:ale_c_clangtidy_checks*
                                                      *b:ale_c_clangtidy_checks*
   Type: |List|
-  Default: `['*']`
+  Default: `[]`
 
   The checks to enable for clang-tidy with the `-checks` argument.
 
diff --git a/doc/ale-cpp.txt b/doc/ale-cpp.txt
index 47ba2c70..e1f64ab5 100644
--- a/doc/ale-cpp.txt
+++ b/doc/ale-cpp.txt
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ overrides |g:ale_c_build_dir_names|.
 g:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks                         *g:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks*
                                                    *b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks*
   Type: |List|
-  Default: `['*']`
+  Default: `[]`
 
   The checks to enable for clang-tidy with the `-checks` argument.
 
diff --git a/test/command_callback/test_c_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader b/test/command_callback/test_c_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader
index 582d4798..f78d0ea7 100644
--- a/test/command_callback/test_c_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader
+++ b/test/command_callback/test_c_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ After:
 
 Execute(The clangtidy command default should be correct):
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
-  \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s'
+  \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' %s'
 
 Execute(You should be able to remove the -checks option for clang-tidy):
   let b:ale_c_clangtidy_checks = []
@@ -23,12 +23,14 @@ Execute(You should be able to set other checks for clang-tidy):
   \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('-*,clang-analyzer-*') . ' %s'
 
 Execute(You should be able to manually set compiler flags for clang-tidy):
+  let b:ale_c_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_clangtidy_options = '-Wall'
 
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
   \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -- -Wall'
 
 Execute(The build directory should be configurable):
+  let b:ale_c_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_build_dir = '/foo/bar'
 
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ Execute(The build directory should be configurable):
   \   . ' -p ' . ale#Escape('/foo/bar')
 
 Execute(The build directory setting should override the options):
+  let b:ale_c_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_build_dir = '/foo/bar'
   let b:ale_c_clangtidy_options = '-Wall'
 
@@ -48,6 +51,7 @@ Execute(The build directory setting should override the options):
 Execute(The build directory should be ignored for header files):
   call ale#test#SetFilename('test.h')
 
+  let b:ale_c_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_build_dir = '/foo/bar'
   let b:ale_c_clangtidy_options = '-Wall'
 
@@ -61,6 +65,7 @@ Execute(The build directory should be ignored for header files):
   \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -- -Wall'
 
 Execute(The executable should be configurable):
+  let b:ale_c_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_clangtidy_executable = 'foobar'
 
   AssertLinter 'foobar',
diff --git a/test/command_callback/test_c_import_paths.vader b/test/command_callback/test_c_import_paths.vader
index 80fff57b..0b5fac40 100644
--- a/test/command_callback/test_c_import_paths.vader
+++ b/test/command_callback/test_c_import_paths.vader
@@ -219,5 +219,5 @@ Execute(The C++ ClangTidy handler should include json folders for projects with
 
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
   \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy')
-  \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s '
+  \   . ' %s '
   \   . '-p ' . ale#Escape(ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/../test_c_projects/json_project/build'))
diff --git a/test/command_callback/test_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader b/test/command_callback/test_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader
index f28609ee..3297a4cb 100644
--- a/test/command_callback/test_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader
+++ b/test/command_callback/test_clang_tidy_command_callback.vader
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ After:
 
 Execute(The clangtidy command default should be correct):
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
-  \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s'
+  \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' %s'
 
 Execute(You should be able to remove the -checks option for clang-tidy):
   let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks = []
 
-  AssertLinter 'clang-tidy', ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' %s'
+  AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
+  \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' %s'
 
 Execute(You should be able to set other checks for clang-tidy):
   let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks = ['-*', 'clang-analyzer-*']
@@ -22,34 +23,41 @@ Execute(You should be able to set other checks for clang-tidy):
   \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('-*,clang-analyzer-*') . ' %s'
 
 Execute(You should be able to manually set compiler flags for clang-tidy):
+  let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_options = '-Wall'
 
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
   \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -- -Wall'
-  \
+
 Execute(The build directory should be configurable):
+  let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_build_dir = '/foo/bar'
 
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
   \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy')
-  \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -p ' . ale#Escape('/foo/bar')
+  \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s'
+  \   . ' -p ' . ale#Escape('/foo/bar')
 
 Execute(The build directory setting should override the options):
+  let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_build_dir = '/foo/bar'
   let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_options = '-Wall'
 
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
   \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy')
-  \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -p ' . ale#Escape('/foo/bar')
+  \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s'
+  \   . ' -p ' . ale#Escape('/foo/bar')
 
 Execute(The build directory should be ignored for header files):
   call ale#test#SetFilename('test.h')
 
+  let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_c_build_dir = '/foo/bar'
   let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_options = '-Wall'
 
   AssertLinter 'clang-tidy',
-  \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -- -Wall'
+  \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy')
+  \   . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -- -Wall'
 
   call ale#test#SetFilename('test.hpp')
 
@@ -57,6 +65,7 @@ Execute(The build directory should be ignored for header files):
   \ ale#Escape('clang-tidy') . ' -checks=' . ale#Escape('*') . ' %s -- -Wall'
 
 Execute(The executable should be configurable):
+  let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_checks = ['*']
   let b:ale_cpp_clangtidy_executable = 'foobar'
 
   AssertLinter 'foobar',