diff --git a/mesonpy/__init__.py b/mesonpy/__init__.py
index d4dd3bd08..abbef564c 100644
--- a/mesonpy/__init__.py
+++ b/mesonpy/__init__.py
@@ -896,7 +896,10 @@ def _manifest(self) -> DefaultDict[str, List[Tuple[pathlib.Path, str]]]:
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
         parser.add_argument('--tags')
         parser.add_argument('--skip-subprojects', nargs='?', const='*', default='')
-        args, _ = parser.parse_known_args(self._meson_args['install'])
+        args, others = parser.parse_known_args(self._meson_args['install'])
+        if others:
+            otherstr = ' '.join(others)
+            warnings.warn(f'unhandled arguments specified for meson install: {otherstr}', stacklevel=1)
         install_tags = {t.strip() for t in args.tags.split(',')} if args.tags else None
         skip_subprojects = {p for p in (p.strip() for p in args.skip_subprojects.split(',')) if p}
 
diff --git a/tests/packages/user-args/pyproject.toml b/tests/packages/user-args/pyproject.toml
index fd626ad36..f2a4aad7e 100644
--- a/tests/packages/user-args/pyproject.toml
+++ b/tests/packages/user-args/pyproject.toml
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ requires = ['meson-python']
 dist = ['config-dist']
 setup = ['config-setup']
 compile = ['config-compile']
-install = ['config-install']
+install = ['--skip-subprojects=config']
diff --git a/tests/test_project.py b/tests/test_project.py
index fb3d08084..11b229ab7 100644
--- a/tests/test_project.py
+++ b/tests/test_project.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ def wrapper(self, cmd):
         'dist-args': ('cli-dist',),
         'setup-args': ('cli-setup',),
         'compile-args': ('cli-compile',),
-        'install-args': ('cli-install',),
+        'install-args': ('--skip-subprojects=cli',),
     }
 
     with in_git_repo_context():
@@ -224,16 +224,15 @@ def wrapper(self, cmd):
     # check that the user options are passed to the invoked commands
     expected = [
         # sdist: calls to 'meson setup' and 'meson dist'
-        ['config-setup', 'cli-setup'],
-        ['config-dist', 'cli-dist'],
+        {'config-setup', 'cli-setup'},
+        {'config-dist', 'cli-dist'},
         # wheel: calls to 'meson setup', 'meson compile', and 'meson install'
-        ['config-setup', 'cli-setup'],
-        ['config-compile', 'cli-compile'],
-        ['config-install', 'cli-install'],
+        {'config-setup', 'cli-setup'},
+        {'config-compile', 'cli-compile'},
+        {'--skip-subprojects=config', '--skip-subprojects=cli'},
     ]
     for expected_args, cmd_args in zip(expected, args):
-        for arg in expected_args:
-            assert arg in cmd_args
+        assert expected_args.issubset(cmd_args)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('package', ('top-level', 'meson-args'))