diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 64fc06c7..533aaf17 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 build/
 subprojects/cpptoml/
+subprojects/lua-*
+subprojects/packagecache/
 src/config/*testsrc.node
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index db7bd4ff..f24d5b65 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -40,6 +40,18 @@ gio_dep = dependency('gio-2.0', version : '== ' + gobject_dep.version())
 giounix_dep = dependency('gio-unix-2.0', version : '== ' + gobject_dep.version())
 pipewire_dep = dependency('libpipewire-0.3')
 
+lua_dep = dependency('lua', version: '>= 5.3.0', required: false)
+if not lua_dep.found()
+    lua_dep = dependency('lua5.3', version: '>= 5.3.0', required: false)
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+        lua_dep = dependency('lua-5.3', version: '>= 5.3.0', required: false)
+        if not lua_dep.found()
+          lua_proj = subproject('lua')
+          lua_dep = lua_proj.get_variable('lua_dep')
+        endif
+    endif
+endif
+
 gnome = import('gnome')
 pkgconfig = import('pkgconfig')
 gir = find_program('g-ir-scanner', required : get_option('introspection'))
diff --git a/subprojects/lua.wrap b/subprojects/lua.wrap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f17ab50d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subprojects/lua.wrap
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[wrap-file]
+directory = lua-5.3.6
+source_url = https://www.lua.org/ftp/lua-5.3.6.tar.gz
+source_filename = lua-5.3.6.tar.gz
+source_hash = fc5fd69bb8736323f026672b1b7235da613d7177e72558893a0bdcd320466d60
+patch_url = https://wrapdb.mesonbuild.com/v1/projects/lua/5.3.6/1/get_zip
+patch_filename = lua-5.3.6-1-wrap.zip
+patch_hash = dd045301a56c7c1fb8d4545cadb93981fe95c44c9526cb58cc75a1b74a2c5116
+
+[provides]
+lua-5.3 = lua_dep