diff --git a/src/conky.cc b/src/conky.cc
index aaebe46d..4ab9bcbc 100644
--- a/src/conky.cc
+++ b/src/conky.cc
@@ -2566,7 +2566,6 @@ void clean_up_without_threads(void *memtofree1, void* memtofree2)
 #endif
 #ifdef BUILD_LUA
 	llua_shutdown_hook();
-	llua_close();
 #endif /* BUILD_LUA */
 #if defined BUILD_WEATHER_XOAP || defined BUILD_RSS
 	xmlCleanupParser();
@@ -2897,17 +2896,6 @@ char load_config_file(const char *f)
 			break;
 		}
 #ifdef BUILD_LUA
-		CONF("lua_load") {
-			if (value) {
-				char *ptr = strtok(value, " ");
-				while (ptr) {
-					llua_load(ptr);
-					ptr = strtok(NULL, " ");
-				}
-			} else {
-				CONF_ERR;
-			}
-		}
 #ifdef BUILD_X11
 		CONF("lua_draw_hook_pre") {
 			if (value) {
@@ -3390,7 +3378,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 				"conky.config = { alignment='top_left', asdf=47, [42]=47, out_to_x=true,\n"
 				"    own_window_hints='above, skip_taskbar',\n"
 				"    background_colour='pink', own_window=true, double_buffer=true,\n"
-				"    mpd_port=-47};\n"
+				"    lua_load='asdf    qq/q'};\n"
 				);
 		l.call(0, 0);
 		conky::set_config_settings(l);
diff --git a/src/llua.cc b/src/llua.cc
index 13749153..6aed0606 100644
--- a/src/llua.cc
+++ b/src/llua.cc
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ void llua_rm_notifies(void);
 static int llua_block_notify = 0;
 #endif /* HAVE_SYS_INOTIFY_H */
 
+static void llua_load(const char *script);
+
 #define MIN(a, b) ( (a) < (b) ? (a) : (b) )
 
 static char *draw_pre_hook = 0;
@@ -51,6 +53,57 @@ static char *shutdown_hook = 0;
 
 lua_State *lua_L = NULL;
 
+namespace {
+	class lua_load_setting: public conky::simple_config_setting<std::string> {
+		typedef conky::simple_config_setting<std::string> Base;
+
+	protected:
+		void lua_setter(lua::state &l, bool init)
+		{
+			lua::stack_sentry s(l, -2);
+
+			Base::lua_setter(l, init);
+
+			if(init) {
+				std::string files = do_convert(l, -1).first;
+				while(not files.empty()) {
+					std::string::size_type pos = files.find(' ');
+					if(pos > 0) {
+						std::string file(files, 0, pos);
+						llua_load(file.c_str());
+					}
+					files.erase(0, pos==std::string::npos ? pos : pos+1);
+				}
+			}
+
+			++s;
+		}
+
+		void cleanup(lua::state &l)
+		{
+			lua::stack_sentry s(l, -1);
+
+#ifdef HAVE_SYS_INOTIFY_H
+			llua_rm_notifies();
+#endif /* HAVE_SYS_INOTIFY_H */
+			free_and_zero(draw_pre_hook);
+			free_and_zero(draw_post_hook);
+			free_and_zero(startup_hook);
+			free_and_zero(shutdown_hook);
+			if(!lua_L) return;
+			lua_close(lua_L);
+			lua_L = NULL;
+		}
+
+	public:
+		lua_load_setting()
+			: Base("lua_load", std::string(), false)
+		{}
+	};
+
+	lua_load_setting lua_load;
+}
+
 static int llua_conky_parse(lua_State *L)
 {
 	int n = lua_gettop(L);    /* number of arguments */
@@ -319,20 +372,6 @@ static int llua_getnumber(const char *args, double *ret)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void llua_close(void)
-{
-#ifdef HAVE_SYS_INOTIFY_H
-	llua_rm_notifies();
-#endif /* HAVE_SYS_INOTIFY_H */
-	free_and_zero(draw_pre_hook);
-	free_and_zero(draw_post_hook);
-	free_and_zero(startup_hook);
-	free_and_zero(shutdown_hook);
-	if(!lua_L) return;
-	lua_close(lua_L);
-	lua_L = NULL;
-}
-
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_INOTIFY_H
 struct _lua_notify_s {
 	int wd;
diff --git a/src/llua.h b/src/llua.h
index e523532f..67a64450 100644
--- a/src/llua.h
+++ b/src/llua.h
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #define LUAPREFIX "conky_"
 
-/* load a lua script */
-void llua_load(const char *script);
-/* close lua stuff */
-void llua_close(void);
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_INOTIFY_H
 /* check our lua inotify status */
 void llua_inotify_query(int wd, int mask);