diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.src b/sys/unix/Makefile.src
index 10e833f61..8d1490db4 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.src
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.src
@@ -582,8 +582,8 @@ HSOURCES ?= $(HACKINCL) dgn_file.h
 FIRSTOBJ ?= monst.o objects.o
 HOSTOBJ ?= $(FIRSTOBJ) alloc.o drawing.o
 
-$(info WINOBJ=$(WINOBJ))
-$(info GENTILEOFILE=$(GENTILEOFILE))
+#$(info WINOBJ=$(WINOBJ))
+#$(info GENTILEOFILE=$(GENTILEOFILE))
 
 #
 # $(TARGETPFX)date.o is not included in this list
diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.top b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
index 6641bc116..d09dd2db0 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.top
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
@@ -127,8 +127,9 @@ LUATOP ?= $(LUAHEADERS)
 LUAMAKEFLAGS ?= CC='$(CC)' SYSCFLAGS='$(SYSCFLAGS)'
 LUA2NHTOP ?= ../../..
 LUABASELIB ?= liblua-$(LUA_VERSION).a
-TOPLUALIB ?= lib/lua/$(LUABASELIB)
+LUATOPLIB ?= lib/lua/$(LUABASELIB)
 LUAHPREFIX ?= ../
+LUALIBBUILT ?= $(LUATOP)/liblua.a
 
 ALLDEP = $(PRECHECK) $(GAME) recover Guidebook $(VARDAT) spec_levs check-dlb
 
@@ -144,11 +145,11 @@ lua_support: include/nhlua.h
 	@true
 $(LUATOP)/liblua.a: $(LUAHEADERS)/lua.h
 	( cd $(LUATOP) && make $(LUAMAKEFLAGS) a )
-$(TOPLUALIB): $(LUATOP)/liblua.a
+lib/lua/$(LUABASELIB): $(LUALIBBUILT)
 	@( if test -d lib/lua ; then true ; else mkdir -p lib/lua ; fi )
 	cp $(LUATOP)/liblua.a $@
 
-include/nhlua.h: $(TOPLUALIB)
+include/nhlua.h: $(LUATOPLIB)
 	echo '/* nhlua.h - generated by top Makefile */' > $@
 	@echo '#include "$(LUAHPREFIX)$(LUAHEADERS)/lua.h"' >> $@
 	@sed -e '/(lua_error)/!d' \
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/include/cross-pre2.500 b/sys/unix/hints/include/cross-pre2.500
index a8648aca9..fead0d4e8 100644
--- a/sys/unix/hints/include/cross-pre2.500
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/include/cross-pre2.500
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ override SYSOBJ= $(TARGETPFX)pcmain.o $(TARGETPFX)msdos.o \
 override WINLIB=
 override LUALIB=
 override LUALIBS=
-override TOPLUALIB=
+override LUATOPLIB=
 override WINX11OBJ=
 override GAMEBIN = $(TARGETPFX)nethack.exe
 override RECOVERBIN = $(TARGETPFX)recover.exe
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ override SYSOBJ= $(TARGETPFX)libnhmain.o \
 		$(TARGETPFX)winshim.o
 override WINLIB = emranlib
 override LUALIB=
-override TOPLUALIB=
+override LUATOPLIB=
 override REGEXOBJ = $(TARGETPFX)posixregex.o
 override WINOBJ=
 override UUIDOBJ=
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ override SYSOBJ = $(TARGETPFX)ioctl.o $(TARGETPFX)unixmain.o $(TARGETPFX)unixtty
 override WINLIB = $(NCURSESLIB)
 override LUALIB=
 override LUALIBS=
-override TOPLUALIB=
+override LUATOPLIB=
 override GAMEBIN=$(MIPS_TARGET)
 override RECOVERBIN = $(TARGETPFX)recover
 override PACKAGE = mipspkg
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ override SYSOBJ = $(TARGETPFX)amidos.o \
 override WINLIB=
 override LUALIB=
 override LUALIBS=
-override TOPLUALIB=
+override LUATOPLIB=
 override DLLIB=
 override WINOBJ=
 override GAMEBIN = $(TARGETPFX)nethack
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/include/linuxdistro.500 b/sys/unix/hints/include/linuxdistro.500
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ff828f1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/include/linuxdistro.500
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# ----- linuxdistro.500 --------
+
+LINUX_DISTRO=
+OS_ID := $(shell grep -E '^ID=' /etc/os-release 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2)
+#$(info OS_ID=$(OS_ID))
+
+ifeq ($(OS_ID),alpine)
+LINUX_DISTRO=alpine
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+CURSPKG = ncurses
+endif
+ifeq ($(OS_ID),debian)
+LINUX_DISTRO=debian
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+endif
+ifeq ($(OS_ID),ubuntu)
+LINUX_DISTRO=ubuntu
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+endif
+ifeq ($(OS_ID),fedora)
+LINUX_DISTRO=fedora
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+endif
+#$(info LINUX_DIST=$(LINUX_DISTRO))
+# ----- end of linuxdistro.500 --------
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/linux.500 b/sys/unix/hints/linux.500
index d8aebe39e..7df63d93f 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/linux.500
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/linux.500
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ HINTSINCLFILES := $(addsuffix .$(HINTSVERSION), $(HINTSINCLNAMES))
 endif
 endif
 
+#-INCLUDE linuxdistro.500
+
+
 ifndef LIBXPM
 LIBXPM= -L/opt/X11/lib -lXpm
 endif
@@ -69,31 +72,107 @@ USE_NOSTATICFN = 1
 #-INCLUDE compiler.500
 
 ifdef WANT_SYSTEM_LUA
-OS_ID := $(shell grep -E '^ID=' /etc/os-release 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2)
-ifeq ($(OS_ID),alpine)
-USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
-CURSPKG = ncurses
-endif  # Alpine Linux
-
-ifeq "$(USE_SYSTEM_LUA)" "1"
-#5.4.8
 ifndef LUA_VERSION
 LUA_VERSION := 5.4.8
 endif
 LUASUBDELIM := $(subst ., ,$(LUA_VERSION))
 LUASHVER := $(word 1, $(LUASUBDELIM)).$(word 2, $(LUASUBDELIM))
+
+ifeq ($(LINUX_DISTRO),alpine)
+# prereq: doas apk add lua5.4-dev
+#         doas apk add linux-headers
+#         doas apk add musl-dev
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+SHELLPKG :=pkg-config
+LUAPKGNAME = lua-$(LUASHVER)
+CURSPKG = ncurses
+#
+else ifeq ($(LINUX_DISTRO),debian)
+# prereq: sudo apt install lua5.4 liblua5.4-dev
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+SHELLPKG :=pkg-config
+LUAPKGNAME = lua-$(LUASHVER)
+#
+else ifeq ($(LINUX_DISTRO),ubuntu)
+# prereq: sudo apt install lua5.4 liblua5.4-dev
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+SHELLPKG :=dpkg
+LUAPKGNAME = lua$(LUASHVER)
+#
+else ifeq ($(LINUX_DISTRO),fedora)
+# prereq: sudo dnf install lua lua-devel
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=1
+SHELLPKG :=rpm
+LUAPKGNAME = lua-devel
+#
+else
+USE_SYSTEM_LUA=0
+SHELLPKG :=
+endif  # LINUX_DISTRO
+
+ifeq ($(USE_SYSTEM_LUA),1)
+ifneq "$(SHELLPKG)" ""
+#
+# Two requirements must now pass:
+# 1. We need to be able to check if Lua package
+#    is installed. We do that here.
+# 2. The lua.h header file needs to be present
+#    where expected. We set LUATESTTARGET here,
+#    but the check is done later on in the top
+#    Makefile.
+#
+# Try to confirm package presence
+ifeq ($(SHELLPKG),pkg-config)
+PKG_EXISTS := $(shell pkg-config --exists $(LUAPKGNAME) \
+		&& echo yes || echo no)
+#
+else ifeq ($(SHELLPKG),dpkg)
+PKG_EXISTS := $(shell dpkg -s $(LUAPKGNAME) > /dev/null 2>&1 \
+		&& echo yes || echo no)
+#
+else ifeq ($(SHELLPKG),rpm)
+PKG_EXISTS := $(shell rpm -q $(LUAPKGNAME) > /dev/null 2>&1 \
+		&& echo yes || echo no)
+#
+else
+$(info Section for DEFAULT)
+PKG_EXISTS=no
+$(info Existance of package $(LUAPKGNAME) could not be verified)
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(PKG_EXISTS),yes)
+$(info Existance of package $(LUAPKGNAME) verified)
+#
+ifeq ($(LINUX_DISTRO),fedora)
+LUACFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags lua-$(LUASHVER))
+LUALIBS := $(shell pkg-config --libs lua-$(LUASHVER))
 LUAHEADERS := /usr/include/lua$(LUASHVER)
 LUATESTTARGET := $(LUAHEADERS)/lua.h
-LUAHPREFIX :=
-LUAFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags lua-$(LUASHVER))
+#
+else ifeq ($(LINUX_DISTRO),ubuntu)
+LUACFLAGS := -I/usr/include/lua$(LUASHVER)
+LUALIBS := -llua$(LUASHVER) -lm -ldl
+LUAHEADERS := /usr/include/lua$(LUASHVER)
+LUATESTTARGET := $(LUAHEADERS)/lua.h
+#
+else ifeq ($(SHELLPKG),pkg-config)
+LUACFLAGS := $(shell pkg-config --cflags lua-$(LUASHVER))
 LUALIBS := $(shell pkg-config --libs lua-$(LUASHVER))
-CFLAGS += $(LUAFLAGS)
+LUAHEADERS := /usr/include/lua$(LUASHVER)
+LUATESTTARGET := $(LUAHEADERS)/lua.h
+endif
+#
+LUAHPREFIX=
 LUATOP=
 LUAMAKEFLAGS=
 LUA2NHTOP=
 LUABASELIB=
-TOPLUALIB=
+LUATOPLIB=
+LUALIBBUILT=
 LUALIB=
+CFLAGS += $(LUACFLAGS)
+endif # PKG_EXISTS?
+endif # SHELLPKG has a value
 endif # USE_SYSTEM_LUA
 endif # WANT_SYSTEM_LUA