diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/lua.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/lua.py
index d862604e90..9b19e1ef26 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/lua.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/lua.py
@@ -29,15 +29,12 @@ class LuaPackage(spack.package_base.PackageBase):
 
     with when("build_system=lua"):
         depends_on("lua-lang")
-        extends("lua", when="^lua")
-        with when("^lua-luajit"):
-            extends("lua-luajit")
-            depends_on("luajit")
-            depends_on("lua-luajit+lualinks")
-        with when("^lua-luajit-openresty"):
-            extends("lua-luajit-openresty")
-            depends_on("luajit")
-            depends_on("lua-luajit-openresty+lualinks")
+        with when("^[virtuals=lua-lang] lua"):
+            extends("lua")
+        with when("^[virtuals=lua-lang] lua-luajit"):
+            extends("lua-luajit+lualinks")
+        with when("^[virtuals=lua-lang] lua-luajit-openresty"):
+            extends("lua-luajit-openresty+lualinks")
 
     @property
     def lua(self):