diff --git a/src/gui/lua/Makefile.am b/src/gui/lua/Makefile.am
index 187e5af19..a04fca60e 100644
--- a/src/gui/lua/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/gui/lua/Makefile.am
@@ -38,3 +38,19 @@ libneutrino_gui_lua_a_SOURCES = \
 	lua_messagebox.cpp \
 	lua_misc.cpp \
 	lua_video.cpp
+
+# the continuous changes of LUA_API_VERSION_* in luainstance.h
+# are not only of questionable usefulness, but they also cause
+# rebuilds all over the place, even though it is only used in
+# 2(!) source files. So split out those two definitions into an
+# autogenerated separate file, they are #if 0'ed in luainstance.h
+# already and the rest is dealt with via ccache...
+BUILT_SOURCES = lua_api_version.h
+lua_api_version.h: luainstance.h
+	@rm -f $@
+	grep '^#define.*LUA_API' $(srcdir)/luainstance.h > $@
+
+noinst_HEADERS = lua_api_version.h
+
+# so that lua_api_version.h can be found...
+AM_CPPFLAGS += -I$(builddir)
diff --git a/src/gui/lua/lua_misc.cpp b/src/gui/lua/lua_misc.cpp
index 072b44802..b82e49205 100644
--- a/src/gui/lua/lua_misc.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/lua/lua_misc.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
 #include "luainstance.h"
 #include "lua_misc.h"
 
+/* autogenerated from luainstance.h */
+#include "lua_api_version.h"
+
 CLuaInstMisc* CLuaInstMisc::getInstance()
 {
 	static CLuaInstMisc* LuaInstMisc = NULL;
diff --git a/src/gui/lua/luainstance.cpp b/src/gui/lua/luainstance.cpp
index 5ac2c986d..51e1912b3 100644
--- a/src/gui/lua/luainstance.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/lua/luainstance.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@
 #include "lua_misc.h"
 #include "lua_video.h"
 
+/* autogenerated from luainstance.h */
+#include "lua_api_version.h"
+
 extern CPictureViewer * g_PicViewer;
 
 static void set_lua_variables(lua_State *L)
diff --git a/src/gui/lua/luainstance.h b/src/gui/lua/luainstance.h
index e2bf16a8d..4b4d0fe41 100644
--- a/src/gui/lua/luainstance.h
+++ b/src/gui/lua/luainstance.h
@@ -30,8 +30,10 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #include "luainstance_helpers.h"
 
+#if 0
 #define LUA_API_VERSION_MAJOR 1
 #define LUA_API_VERSION_MINOR 27
+#endif
 
 /* inspired by Steve Kemp http://www.steve.org.uk/ */
 class CLuaInstance