diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7ad0328a..ac663c12 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -39,27 +39,39 @@ threads_dep = dependency('threads')
 
 system_lua = get_option('system-lua')
 if system_lua
-  lua_dep = dependency('lua-5.4', required: false)
-  if not lua_dep.found()
-    lua_dep = dependency('lua5.4', required: false)
-  endif
-  if not lua_dep.found()
-    lua_dep = dependency('lua54', required: false)
-  endif
-  if not lua_dep.found()
-    lua_dep = dependency('lua-5.3', required: false)
-  endif
-  if not lua_dep.found()
-    lua_dep = dependency('lua5.3', required: false)
-  endif
-  if not lua_dep.found()
-    lua_dep = dependency('lua53', required: false)
-  endif
-  if not lua_dep.found()
-    lua_dep = dependency('lua', version: ['>=5.3.0'], required: false)
-  endif
-  if not lua_dep.found()
-    error ('Could not find lua. Lua version 5.4 or 5.3 required')
+  if get_option('system-lua-version') != 'auto'
+    lua_version_requested = get_option('system-lua-version')
+    lua_dep = dependency('lua-' + lua_version_requested, required: false)
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      lua_dep = dependency('lua' + lua_version_requested, required: false)
+    endif
+
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      error('Specified Lua version "' + lua_version_requested + '" not found')
+    endif
+  else
+    lua_dep = dependency('lua-5.4', required: false)
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      lua_dep = dependency('lua5.4', required: false)
+    endif
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      lua_dep = dependency('lua54', required: false)
+    endif
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      lua_dep = dependency('lua-5.3', required: false)
+    endif
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      lua_dep = dependency('lua5.3', required: false)
+    endif
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      lua_dep = dependency('lua53', required: false)
+    endif
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      lua_dep = dependency('lua', version: ['>=5.3.0'], required: false)
+    endif
+    if not lua_dep.found()
+      error ('Could not find lua. Lua version 5.4 or 5.3 required')
+    endif
   endif
 else
   lua_proj = subproject('lua', default_options: ['default_library=static'])
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index a152fbda..f93feb8f 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ option('doc', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description: 'Enable documentation.')
 option('system-lua', type : 'boolean', value : 'false',
        description : 'Use lua from the system instead of the bundled one')
+option('system-lua-version',
+       type: 'string', value : 'auto',
+       description: 'The system lua version to use or "auto" for auto-detection')
 option('systemd',
        type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
        description: 'Enable installing systemd units')