diff --git a/plugins/meson.build b/plugins/meson.build
index e45e4c6c..b87aaa99 100644
--- a/plugins/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/meson.build
@@ -22,7 +22,31 @@ if get_option('with-fishlim')
   subdir('fishlim')
 endif
 
-if get_option('with-lua') != 'false'
+lua_option = get_option('with-lua')
+if lua_option == 'auto' or lua_option == 'luajit'
+  lua_auto_dep = dependency('luajit', required: false)
+  if not lua_auto_dep.found()
+    lua_auto_dep = dependency('lua-5.4', required: false)
+  endif
+  if not lua_auto_dep.found()
+    lua_auto_dep = dependency('lua5.4', required: false)
+  endif
+  if not lua_auto_dep.found()
+    lua_auto_dep = dependency('lua-5.3', required: false)
+  endif
+  if not lua_auto_dep.found()
+    lua_auto_dep = dependency('lua5.3', required: false)
+  endif
+  if not lua_auto_dep.found()
+    lua_auto_dep = dependency('lua', required: false)
+  endif
+
+  if lua_auto_dep.found()
+    subdir('lua')
+  else
+    warning('LuaJIT/Lua development files not found, disabling Lua plugin')
+  endif
+elif lua_option != 'false'
   subdir('lua')
 endif