diff --git a/scripts/src/3rdparty.lua b/scripts/src/3rdparty.lua
index 2dacc9b8b81..38667d4ae44 100644
--- a/scripts/src/3rdparty.lua
+++ b/scripts/src/3rdparty.lua
@@ -431,6 +431,7 @@ end
 --------------------------------------------------
 -- LUA library objects
 --------------------------------------------------
+if (STANDALONE~=true) then
 
 if not _OPTIONS["with-system-lua"] then
 project "lua"
@@ -565,6 +566,7 @@ project "lualibs"
 		MAME_DIR .. "3rdparty/luafilesystem/src/lfs.c",
 	}
 
+end
 --------------------------------------------------
 -- portmidi library objects
 --------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/scripts/src/devices.lua b/scripts/src/devices.lua
index cbdb046f397..081bc7617bb 100644
--- a/scripts/src/devices.lua
+++ b/scripts/src/devices.lua
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ function devicesProject(_target, _subtarget)
 		GEN_DIR  .. "emu",
 		GEN_DIR  .. "emu/layout",
 		ext_includedir("expat"),
-		ext_includedir("lua"),
 		ext_includedir("flac"),
 	}
 
@@ -72,7 +71,6 @@ if #disasm_files > 0 then
 		MAME_DIR .. "3rdparty",
 		GEN_DIR  .. "emu",
 		ext_includedir("expat"),
-		ext_includedir("lua"),
 	}
 
 	files {
diff --git a/scripts/src/emu.lua b/scripts/src/emu.lua
index 20b93b38eff..dc2a7a46a56 100644
--- a/scripts/src/emu.lua
+++ b/scripts/src/emu.lua
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ includedirs {
 
 includedirs {
 	ext_includedir("expat"),
-	ext_includedir("lua"),
 	ext_includedir("zlib"),
 	ext_includedir("flac"),
 	ext_includedir("jpeg"),
diff --git a/scripts/src/lib.lua b/scripts/src/lib.lua
index 1549084c918..7a97f1facbe 100644
--- a/scripts/src/lib.lua
+++ b/scripts/src/lib.lua
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@ project "formats"
 		MAME_DIR .. "src/lib/formats/itt3030_dsk.h",
 	}
 
+if (MACHINES["NETLIST"]~=null or _OPTIONS["with-tools"]) then
 --  netlist now defines a project
 dofile("netlist.lua")
-
+end
diff --git a/scripts/src/main.lua b/scripts/src/main.lua
index 42615bedebb..4ee2229b8ef 100644
--- a/scripts/src/main.lua
+++ b/scripts/src/main.lua
@@ -197,8 +197,12 @@ if (STANDALONE~=true) then
 		"frontend",
 	}
 end
+if (MACHINES["NETLIST"]~=null) then
 	links {
 		"netlist",
+	}
+end
+	links {
 		"optional",
 		"emu",
 		"formats",
@@ -214,10 +218,13 @@ end
 		"softfloat",
 		ext_lib("jpeg"),
 		"7z",
+	}
+if (STANDALONE~=true) then		
+	links {
 		ext_lib("lua"),
 		"lualibs",
 	}
-
+end
 	if _OPTIONS["USE_LIBUV"]=="1" then
 		links {
 			ext_lib("uv"),