diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index de515ed48dd..fe80b4e1443 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -857,19 +857,6 @@ CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $ZLIB_CFLAGS"
 CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $ZLIB_CFLAGS"
 LIBS="$LIBS $ZLIB_LIBS"
 
-#######################################################################
-# Check for Lua                                                       #
-#######################################################################
-
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LUA, [lua >= 5.1], , [
-	AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-	PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LUA, [lua5.1 >= 5.1], , [
-		AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-		PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LUA, [lua-5.1 >= 5.1])
-	])])
-CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $LUA_CFLAGS"
-LIBS="$LIBS $LUA_LIBS"
-
 #######################################################################
 # Check for different notifications systems                           #
 #######################################################################
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index bdeb66f549e..166ee79f1d1 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -340,8 +340,8 @@ wesnoth_SOURCES = \
 	game.cpp \
 	$(wesnoth_source)
 
-wesnoth_LDADD = $(INTERNALLIBS) $(THELIBS) $(PANGO_LIBS) $(FONTCONFIG_LIBS)
-wesnoth_DEPENDENCIES=libwesnoth-core.a libwesnoth.a
+wesnoth_LDADD = $(INTERNALLIBS) $(THELIBS) $(PANGO_LIBS) $(FONTCONFIG_LIBS) lua/liblua.a
+wesnoth_DEPENDENCIES=libwesnoth-core.a libwesnoth.a lua/liblua.a
 if ANA
 wesnoth_LDADD += $(BOOST_SYSTEM_LIBS) $(BOOST_THREAD_LIBS) -lana
 wesnoth_DEPENDENCIES += libana.a
@@ -557,6 +557,9 @@ libana_a_SOURCES = \
 CXXFLAGS += -Iana/api
 endif
 
+lua/liblua.a:
+	$(MAKE) -C lua/ a CC="$(CXX)"
+
 # Until game_config.cpp is removed, this will be needed to ensure that the
 # REVISION constant gets updated correctly.  If and when that definition is
 # moved elsewhere, this dependency must follow it.
diff --git a/src/ai/lua/core.cpp b/src/ai/lua/core.cpp
index 95a2d30868c..da01ca4bc42 100644
--- a/src/ai/lua/core.cpp
+++ b/src/ai/lua/core.cpp
@@ -18,10 +18,8 @@
  *
  */
 
-extern "C" {
-#include <lualib.h>
-#include <lauxlib.h>
-}
+#include "lua/lualib.h"
+#include "lua/lauxlib.h"
 
 #include <cassert>
 #include <cstring>
diff --git a/src/scripting/lua.cpp b/src/scripting/lua.cpp
index 1a87c509040..b3590b2a2cf 100644
--- a/src/scripting/lua.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/lua.cpp
@@ -30,10 +30,8 @@
  *   - luaW_ functions are helpers in Lua style.
  */
 
-extern "C" {
-#include <lualib.h>
-#include <lauxlib.h>
-}
+#include "lua/lualib.h"
+#include "lua/lauxlib.h"
 
 #include <cassert>
 #include <cstring>