diff --git a/mesonbuild/msetup.py b/mesonbuild/msetup.py
index ac0ea7f..90ef4b5 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/msetup.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/msetup.py
@@ -204,8 +204,10 @@
             if opt.subproject and opt.subproject not in all_subprojects:
                 continue
             if coredata.optstore.is_compiler_option(opt):
+                permitlist.append(opt.name)
                 continue
-            if opt.name in permitted_unknowns:
+            # Ditto for base options.
+            if coredata.optstore.is_base_option(opt):
                 permitlist.append(opt.name)
                 continue
             keystr = str(opt)
@@ -222,7 +224,7 @@
             # support it, this option gets silently swallowed.
             # So at least print a message about it.
             optstr = ','.join(permitlist)
-            mlog.warning(f'Some command line options went unused: {optstr}', fatal=False)
+            mlog.warning(f'The following command line option(s) were not used: {optstr}', fatal=False)
 
         coredata.optstore.clear_pending()
 
diff --git a/unittests/platformagnostictests.py b/unittests/platformagnostictests.py
index f787805..0d8180c 100644
--- a/unittests/platformagnostictests.py
+++ b/unittests/platformagnostictests.py
@@ -415,9 +415,12 @@
     def test_setup_with_unknown_option(self):
         testdir = os.path.join(self.common_test_dir, '1 trivial')
 
-        for option in ('not_an_option', 'b_not_an_option'):
-            out = self.init(testdir, extra_args=['--wipe', f'-D{option}=1'], allow_fail=True)
-            self.assertIn(f'ERROR: Unknown options: "{option}"', out)
+        out = self.init(testdir, extra_args=['--wipe', f'-Dnot_an_option=1'], allow_fail=True)
+        self.assertIn('ERROR: Unknown options: "not_an_option"', out)
+
+        out = self.init(testdir, extra_args=['--wipe', f'-Db_not_an_option=1'])
+        self.assertIn('WARNING: The following command line option(s) were not used: b_not_an_option', out)
+
 
     def test_configure_new_option(self) -> None:
         """Adding a new option without reconfiguring should work."""