diff --git a/Config.in.legacy b/Config.in.legacy
index 6c3384f445..5758d408f6 100644
--- a/Config.in.legacy
+++ b/Config.in.legacy
@@ -2108,9 +2108,9 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_FFTW_PRECISION_QUAD
 config BR2_PACKAGE_LUA_5_2
 	bool "Lua 5.2.x version removed"
 	select BR2_LEGACY
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_LUA_5_3
 	help
 	  The Lua 5.2.x version was removed.
+# Note: BR2_PACKAGE_LUA_5_2 is still referenced from package/lua/Config.in
 
 config BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_PASSWD_MD5
 	bool "target passwd md5 format support has been removed"
diff --git a/package/lua/Config.in b/package/lua/Config.in
index 309dd6eec2..8fa9f9b7ab 100644
--- a/package/lua/Config.in
+++ b/package/lua/Config.in
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_PROVIDES_LUAINTERPRETER
 
 choice
 	prompt "Lua Version"
+	default BR2_PACKAGE_LUA_5_3 if BR2_PACKAGE_LUA_5_2 # legacy
 	default BR2_PACKAGE_LUA_5_4
 	help
 	  Select the version of Lua API/ABI you wish to use.