diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_new.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_new.yml
index b7f11ff0f..a1009e02b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_new.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_new.yml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ jobs:
 
           sudo apt-get update -y -qq
 
-          CANDIDATES="$(apt-cache search '^liblua[0-9]+\.[0-9]+-dev$' | awk '{print $1}')"
+          CANDIDATES="$(apt-cache pkgnames | grep -E '^liblua[0-9]+\.[0-9]+-dev$' || true)"
 
           if [ -z "$CANDIDATES" ]; then
             echo "No libluaX.Y-dev package found"
@@ -63,9 +63,15 @@ jobs:
             | awk '{print $2}'
           )"
 
+          if [ -z "$BEST_PKG" ]; then
+            echo "Failed to determine Lua package"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
           echo "lua_pkg=$BEST_PKG" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "Using $BEST_PKG"
 
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
           sudo apt-get install -y \
@@ -85,6 +91,12 @@ jobs:
             python3 \
             python3-venv
 
+      - name: Show Lua installation
+        run: |
+          which lua || true
+          lua -v || true
+          dpkg -l | grep lua || true
+
       - name: Run build preparation script
         run: ./build.sh