diff --git a/lua-macros.changes b/lua-macros.changes
index f7db647..9d140fd 100644
--- a/lua-macros.changes
+++ b/lua-macros.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Fri Nov 25 19:15:41 UTC 2022 - Michal Suchanek <msuchanek@suse.com>
+
+- Make macros usable with older releases (boo#1205611).
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fri Sep  2 15:13:06 UTC 2022 - Callum Farmer <gmbr3@opensuse.org>
 
diff --git a/lua-macros.spec b/lua-macros.spec
index 23c684e..e0f8b1b 100644
--- a/lua-macros.spec
+++ b/lua-macros.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # spec file for package lua-macros
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2020 SUSE LLC
+# Copyright (c) 2022 SUSE LLC
 #
 # All modifications and additions to the file contributed by third parties
 # remain the property of their copyright owners, unless otherwise agreed
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 # Please submit bugfixes or comments via https://bugs.opensuse.org/
 #
 
+
 %if %{undefined _rpmmacrodir}
 %define _rpmmacrodir %{_rpmconfigdir}/macros.d
 %endif
@@ -26,7 +27,10 @@ License:        MIT
 Group:          Development/Languages/Other
 URL:            https://www.lua.org
 Source0:        macros.lua
+%if 0%{?suse_version} >= 1500
+# on SLE 12 lua is lua5.2 unconditionally, avoid
 Requires:       lua
+%endif
 BuildArch:      noarch
 
 %description
diff --git a/macros.lua b/macros.lua
index 3230b68..4720675 100644
--- a/macros.lua
+++ b/macros.lua
@@ -13,7 +13,19 @@
 # lua includes folder
 %lua_incdir %{_includedir}/lua%{lua_version}
 
-%lua_version_default 5.4
+%lua_version_default %{lua:
+local result = 5.4
+local ver = rpm.expand("%{?suse_version}")
+if #ver > 0 then
+    ver = tonumber(ver)
+    if ver < 1500 then
+        result = 5.1
+    elseif ver == 1500 then
+        result = 5.3
+    end
+end
+print(result)
+}
 %lua_version_default_nodots %(lua -e 'print((string.gsub("%{lua_version_default}", "%.", "")))')
 
 %ifluadefault \