diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bcfac39098..b57e55f938 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -168,7 +168,10 @@ foreach(CFGNAME ${CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES})
   set(CMAKE_ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY_${CFGNAME} ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/lib)
 endforeach()
 
-find_program(LUA_PRG NAMES luajit lua5.1 lua5.2 lua)
+if(NOT PREFER_LUA)
+  find_program(LUA_PRG NAMES luajit)
+endif()
+find_program(LUA_PRG NAMES lua5.1 lua5.2 lua)
 if(NOT LUA_PRG)
   message(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to find a Lua 5.1-compatible interpreter")
 endif()