diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luafilesystem/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luafilesystem/package.py
index 372e71a27ea..82638bc5e9d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luafilesystem/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luafilesystem/package.py
@@ -45,4 +45,4 @@ def rockspec(self):
         )
 
     def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        luarocks('--tree=' + prefix, 'install', self.rockspec)
+        luarocks('--tree=' + prefix, 'make', self.rockspec)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luaposix/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luaposix/package.py
index 26186cdacc1..e544f24c550 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luaposix/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lua-luaposix/package.py
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ class LuaLuaposix(Package):
 
     def install(self, spec, prefix):
         rockspec = glob.glob('luaposix-*.rockspec')
-        luarocks('--tree=' + prefix, 'install', rockspec[0])
+        luarocks('--tree=' + prefix, 'make', rockspec[0])