diff --git a/awesomeConfig.cmake b/awesomeConfig.cmake
index 5e341abc..34353729 100644
--- a/awesomeConfig.cmake
+++ b/awesomeConfig.cmake
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ macro(a_find_program var prg req)
     endif()
 endmacro()
 
+a_find_program(LUA_EXECUTABLE lua TRUE)
 a_find_program(GIT_EXECUTABLE git FALSE)
 # programs needed for man pages
 a_find_program(ASCIIDOCTOR_EXECUTABLE asciidoctor FALSE)
@@ -374,7 +375,7 @@ add_custom_command(TARGET setup_directories
 
 add_custom_command(
         OUTPUT ${BUILD_DIR}/docs/06-appearance.md
-        COMMAND lua ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/06-appearance.md.lua
+        COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/06-appearance.md.lua
         ${BUILD_DIR}/docs/06-appearance.md
         DEPENDS
             lgi-check-run
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ add_custom_command(
 foreach(RULE_TYPE client tag screen notification)
     add_custom_command(
         OUTPUT ${BUILD_DIR}/docs/common/${RULE_TYPE}_rules_index.ldoc
-        COMMAND lua ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/build_rules_index.lua
+        COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/build_rules_index.lua
             ${BUILD_DIR}/docs/common/${RULE_TYPE}_rules_index.ldoc
             ${RULE_TYPE}
 
@@ -405,7 +406,7 @@ endforeach()
 add_custom_command(
         OUTPUT ${BUILD_DIR}/awesomerc.lua ${BUILD_DIR}/docs/05-awesomerc.md
             ${BUILD_DIR}/script_files/rc.lua
-        COMMAND lua ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/05-awesomerc.md.lua
+        COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/05-awesomerc.md.lua
         ${BUILD_DIR}/docs/05-awesomerc.md ${SOURCE_DIR}/awesomerc.lua
         ${BUILD_DIR}/awesomerc.lua
         ${BUILD_DIR}/script_files/rc.lua
@@ -414,7 +415,7 @@ add_custom_command(
 
 add_custom_command(
         OUTPUT ${BUILD_DIR}/script_files/theme.lua
-        COMMAND lua ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/sample_theme.lua ${BUILD_DIR}/script_files/
+        COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} ${SOURCE_DIR}/docs/sample_theme.lua ${BUILD_DIR}/script_files/
 )
 
 # Create a target for the auto-generated awesomerc.lua and other files
diff --git a/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 3d2a81ed..1494a74e 100644
--- a/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ endif()
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0.0)
 
 # Get and update the LUA_PATH so the scripts can be executed without awesome.
-execute_process(COMMAND lua -e "p = package.path:gsub(';', '\\\\;'); io.stdout:write(p)"
+execute_process(COMMAND ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} -e "p = package.path:gsub(';', '\\\\;'); io.stdout:write(p)"
     OUTPUT_VARIABLE "LUA_PATH_")
 
 # Allow to use the example tests by themselves.
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ if (DO_COVERAGE)
     message(${TEST_ERROR})
     message(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to run luacov.runner.")
   endif()
-  set(LUA_COV_RUNNER lua "-erequire('luacov.runner')('${TOP_SOURCE_DIR}/.luacov')")
+  set(LUA_COV_RUNNER ${LUA_EXECUTABLE} "-erequire('luacov.runner')('${TOP_SOURCE_DIR}/.luacov')")
 else()
-  set(LUA_COV_RUNNER lua)
+  set(LUA_COV_RUNNER ${LUA_EXECUTABLE})
 endif()
 
 if (STRICT_TESTS)