diff --git a/data/luarc b/data/luarc
index fbd9b53c20be..acfea114e9cf 100644
--- a/data/luarc
+++ b/data/luarc
@@ -20,362 +20,12 @@ ipairs = function(t)
   end
 end
 
--- script installer
+local dt = require "darktable"
 
-local _scripts_install = {}
+-- make sure we don't hang darktable when starting the scripts
 
-_scripts_install.module_installed = false
-_scripts_install.event_registered = false
-
-_scripts_install.dt = require 'darktable'
-
--- check for gui so that we don't hang darktable-cli
-
-if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.has_gui  then
-
-
-  _scripts_install.dt.preferences.register(
-    "_scripts_install",
-    "dont_show",
-    "bool",
-    _scripts_install.dt.gettext.gettext("lua scripts installer dont show again"),
-    _scripts_install.dt.gettext.gettext("do not show scripts_installer if lua scripts are not installed"),
-    false
-  )
-
-  _scripts_install.dt.preferences.register(
-    "_scripts_install",
-    "debug",
-    "bool",
-    _scripts_install.dt.gettext.gettext("lua scripts installer log debug messages"),
-    _scripts_install.dt.gettext.gettext("write debugging messages to the log if the -d lua flag is specified"),
-    false
-  )
-
-  local PS = _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" and "\\" or "/"
-
-  local debug_messages = _scripts_install.dt.preferences.read("_scripts_install", "debug", "bool")
-
-  local function debug_message(msg)
-    if debug_messages then
-      _scripts_install.dt.print_log("[script installer] " .. msg)
-    end
-  end
-
-  local function _is_not_sanitized_posix(str)
-     -- A sanitized string must be quoted.
-     if not string.match(str, "^'.*'$") then
-         return true
-     -- A quoted string containing no quote characters within is sanitized.
-     elseif string.match(str, "^'[^']*'$") then
-         return false
-     end
-     
-     -- Any quote characters within a sanitized string must be properly
-     -- escaped.
-     local quotesStripped = string.sub(str, 2, -2)
-     local escapedQuotesRemoved = string.gsub(quotesStripped, "'\\''", "")
-     if string.find(escapedQuotesRemoved, "'") then
-         return true
-     else
-         return false
-     end
-  end
-
-  local function _is_not_sanitized_windows(str)
-     if not string.match(str, "^\".*\"$") then
-        return true
-     else
-        return false
-     end
-  end
-
-  local function _sanitize_posix(str)
-    if _is_not_sanitized_posix(str) then
-        return "'" .. string.gsub(str, "'", "'\\''") .. "'"
-    else
-         return str
-    end
-  end
-
-  local function _sanitize_windows(str)
-    if _is_not_sanitized_windows(str) then
-        return "\"" .. string.gsub(str, "\"", "\"^\"\"") .. "\""
-    else
-        return str
-    end
-  end
-
-  local function sanitize(str)
-    if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-        return _sanitize_windows(str)
-    else
-        return _sanitize_posix(str)
-    end
-  end
-
-  local CONFIG_DIR = _scripts_install.dt.configuration.config_dir
-
-  if not _scripts_install.dt.preferences.read("_scripts_install", "dont_show", "bool") then
-    debug_message("dont show not set")
-
-    if _scripts_install.dt.preferences.read("_scripts_install", "remind", "bool") then
-      debug_message("remind set")
-      if _scripts_install.dt.preferences.read("_scripts_install", "restarts", "integer") < 4 then
-        local restart_count = _scripts_install.dt.preferences.read("_scripts_install", "restarts", "integer") + 1
-        _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "restarts", "integer", restart_count)
-        debug_message("retries set to " .. restart_count)
-        return
-      else
-        _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "restarts", "integer", 0)
-        debug_message("number of restarts without installing reached, installing...")
-      end
-    end
-
-    _scripts_install.not_installed = true
-    debug_message("checking for lua directory")
-
-    -- set the necessary commands based on operating system
-    if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-      _scripts_install.dir_cmd = "dir /b "
-      _scripts_install.which_cmd = "where "
-    else
-      _scripts_install.dir_cmd = "ls "
-      _scripts_install.which_cmd = "which "
-    end
-
-    -- check for the scripts directory
-    debug_message("checking for scripts")
-
-    local find_scripts_cmd = _scripts_install.dir_cmd .. CONFIG_DIR
-    if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-      find_scripts_cmd = "\"" .. _scripts_install.dir_cmd .. "\"" .. CONFIG_DIR .. "\"\""
-    end
-    _scripts_install.p = io.popen(find_scripts_cmd)
-    for line in _scripts_install.p:lines() do 
-      debug_message("line is " .. line)
-      if string.match(line, "^lua$") then
-        _scripts_install.not_installed = false
-        debug_message("scripts found")
-      end
-    end
-    _scripts_install.p:close()
-
-    local gettext = _scripts_install.dt.gettext
-
-    local function _(msg)
-      return gettext.gettext(msg)
-    end
-
-    if _scripts_install.not_installed then
-      debug_message("took the scripts not installed branch")
-      _scripts_install.widgets = {}
-
-      local function os_execute(cmd)
-        debug_message("cmd input to os_execute is " .. cmd)
-        if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-          cmd = "\"" .. cmd .. "\""
-        end
-        debug_message("command to os.execute is " .. cmd)
-        success, msg, rc = os.execute(cmd)
-        debug_message("command success: " .. tostring(success) .. " message: " .. msg .. " return code: " .. rc)
-        return success
-      end
-        -- check for a luarc file and move it
-      local function backup_luarc()
-        debug_message("backuping up luarc file (if it exists)")
-        local p = io.popen(_scripts_install.dir_cmd .. CONFIG_DIR)
-        for line in p:lines() do 
-          if string.match(line, "^luarc$") then
-            debug_message("found the luarc file, renaming it to luarc.old")
-            local success = false
-            if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-              success = os_execute("rename " .. "\"" .. CONFIG_DIR .. PS .. "luarc\" \"" .. CONFIG_DIR .. PS .. "luarc.old\"")
-            else
-              success = os_execute("mv " .. CONFIG_DIR .. "/luarc " .. CONFIG_DIR .. "/luarc.old")
-            end
-            if not success then
-              _scripts_install.dt.print(_("Unable to back up luarc file.  It will be overwritten"))
-            end
-          end
-        end
-        p:close()
-      end
-
-      function _scripts_install.minimize_lib()
-        --hide the library
-        _scripts_install.dt.gui.libs["lua_scripts_installer"].visible = false
-      end
-
-      function _scripts_install.installer()
-        debug_message("running installer")
-
-        if _scripts_install.widgets.choice.value == _("don't show again") then
-          debug_message("setting script installer don't show")
-          _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "dont_show", "bool", true)
-          _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "remind", "bool", false)
-          _scripts_install.dt.print(_("Installer won't be shown when darktable starts"))
-          _scripts_install.minimize_lib()
-        elseif _scripts_install.widgets.choice.value == _("remind me later") then
-          debug_message("setting script installer remind me later ")
-          _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "dont_show", "bool", false)
-          _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "remind", "bool", true)
-          _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "retries", "integer", 0)
-          _scripts_install.dt.print(_("Installer will be shown every 5th time darktable starts"))
-          _scripts_install.minimize_lib()
-        else
-          debug_message("setting script installer remind and dont_show to false ")
-          _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "remind", "bool", false)
-          _scripts_install.dt.preferences.write("_scripts_install", "dont_show", "bool", false)
-
-            -- check for git executable
-          if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-            _scripts_install.which_cmd = "where "
-            _scripts_install.git_cmd = "git.exe"
-          else
-            _scripts_install.which_cmd = "which "
-            _scripts_install.git_cmd = "git"
-          end
-
-          _scripts_install.git_bin = nil
-          debug_message("checking for git")
-          debug_message("with command " .. _scripts_install.which_cmd .. _scripts_install.git_cmd)
-
-          _scripts_install.p = io.popen(_scripts_install.which_cmd .. _scripts_install.git_cmd)
-          for line in _scripts_install.p:lines() do 
-            if string.match(line, _scripts_install.git_cmd) then
-              debug_message("got a match")
-              _scripts_install.git_bin = line
-              debug_message("git bin is " .. _scripts_install.git_bin)
-            end
-          end
-          _scripts_install.p:close()
-
-          if not _scripts_install.git_bin then
-            debug_message("git not found, printing error and exiting")
-            _scripts_install.dt.print(_("Please install git and make sure it is in your path"))
-            return
-          end
-
-          _scripts_install.require_string = "require \"tools/script_manager\""
-          if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os ~= "windows" then
-            _scripts_install.require_string = "'" .. _scripts_install.require_string .. "'"
-          end
-          debug_message("require string is " .. _scripts_install.require_string)
-          
-          backup_luarc()
-
-          _scripts_install.dt.print(_("lua scripts installing"))
-          debug_message("lua scripts installing...")
-    
-          if _scripts_install.dt.configuration.running_os == "windows" then
-            _scripts_install.git_bin = "\"" .. _scripts_install.git_bin .. "\""
-            _scripts_install.install_dir = "\"" .. CONFIG_DIR .. PS .. "lua\""
-            _scripts_install.luarc_file = "\"" .. CONFIG_DIR .. PS .. "luarc\""
-          else
-            _scripts_install.install_dir = CONFIG_DIR .. PS .. "lua"
-            _scripts_install.luarc_file = CONFIG_DIR .. PS .. "luarc"
-          end
-
-          local success = os_execute(_scripts_install.git_bin  .. " clone https://github.com/darktable-org/lua-scripts.git " .. _scripts_install.install_dir)
-          if not success then
-            debug_message("unable to clone lua-scripts.  See above messages for possible error")
-            _scripts_install.dt.print("lua scripts installation failed.  Enable scripts installer debug messages under lua options and try again")
-            return
-          else
-            debug_message("lua-scripts successfully cloned")
-          end
-          local success = os_execute("echo " .. _scripts_install.require_string .. " > " .. _scripts_install.luarc_file)
-          if not success then
-            debug_message("unable to create luarc file")
-            _scripts_install.dt.print(_("lua scripts installation failed.  Enable scripts installer debug messages under lua options and try again"))
-            return
-          else
-            debug_message("luarc file created")
-          end      
-          _scripts_install.dt.print(_("lua scripts are installed"))
-          debug_message("starting script_manager")
-          require "tools/script_manager"
-          _scripts_install.dt.gui.libs["script_manager"].visible = true
-          debug_message("script_manager started and visible")
-        end
-        _scripts_install.minimize_lib()
-      end
-
-
-      function _scripts_install.install_module()
-        if not _scripts_install.module_installed then
-          _scripts_install.dt.register_lib(
-            "lua_scripts_installer",
-            _("lua scripts installer"),
-            true,
-            false,
-            {[_scripts_install.dt.gui.views.lighttable] = {"DT_UI_CONTAINER_PANEL_LEFT_BOTTOM", 900}},
-            _scripts_install.dt.new_widget("box"){
-              orientation = "vertical",
-              table.unpack(_scripts_install.display_widgets)
-            },
-            nil,
-            nil
-          )
-          _scripts_install.module_installed = true
-          _scripts_install.dt.gui.libs["lua_scripts_installer"].visible = true
-        end
-      end
-
-      -- _scripts_install.dt.print_log("building widgets")
-
-      _scripts_install.display_widgets = {}
-
-      if not _scripts_install.dt.preferences.read("_scripts_install", "initialized", "bool") then
-
-        _scripts_install.widgets["message"] = _scripts_install.dt.new_widget("text_view"){
-          text = _("Choose an action below.\n\n'install scripts' installs the lua scripts from\nthe darktable ") .. 
-          _("lua-scripts repository\n\n'remind me later' will cause this module to\nreappear every 5th ") ..
-          _("darktable is restarted\n\n'dont show again' will cause this module to\nnot be shown again ") ..
-          _("for those who do\nnot wish to install the scripts\n\n"),
-          editable = false,
-       }
-       table.insert(_scripts_install.display_widgets, _scripts_install.widgets["message"])
-     end
-
-      _scripts_install.widgets["choice"] = _scripts_install.dt.new_widget("combobox"){
-        label = _("select action"),
-        tooltip = _("select action to perform"),
-        selected = 1,
-        _("install scripts"), 
-        _("remind me later"), 
-        _("don't show again"),
-      }
-      table.insert(_scripts_install.display_widgets, _scripts_install.widgets["choice"])
-
-      _scripts_install.widgets["execute"] = _scripts_install.dt.new_widget("button"){
-        label = _("execute"),
-        clicked_callback = function(this)
-          _scripts_install.installer()
-        end
-      }
-      table.insert(_scripts_install.display_widgets, _scripts_install.widgets["execute"])
-
-      -- _scripts_install.dt.print_log("installing library")
-
-      if _scripts_install.dt.gui.current_view().id == "lighttable" then
-        _scripts_install.install_module()
-      else
-        if not _scripts_install.event_registered then
-          _scripts_install.dt.register_event(
-            "_scripts_install", "view-changed",
-            function(event, old_view, new_view)
-              if new_view.name == "lighttable" and old_view.name == "darkroom" then
-                _scripts_install.install_module()
-               end
-            end
-          )
-          _scripts_install.event_registered = true
-        end
-      end
-    end
-  end
+if dt.has_gui then
+  require "tools/script_manager"
 end
 
 -- vim: shiftwidth=2 expandtab tabstop=2 cindent syntax=lua
diff --git a/src/external/CMakeLists.txt b/src/external/CMakeLists.txt
index 3acdd96e3c9a..e14c9891b9ea 100644
--- a/src/external/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/external/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -76,3 +76,18 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_INCLUDE_WHAT_YOU_USE "${CMAKE_CXX_INCLUDE_WHAT_YOU_USE_SAVE}")
 
 set(BUILD_TESTING "${BUILD_TESTING_SAVE}" CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
 set(BUILD_BENCHMARKING "${BUILD_BENCHMARKING_SAVE}" CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
+
+###############################################################################
+# lua-scripts section
+
+if(USE_LUA)
+#
+# lua system scripts
+#
+FILE(COPY lua-scripts DESTINATION "${DARKTABLE_DATADIR}")
+install(DIRECTORY "lua-scripts" DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR}/darktable COMPONENT DTApplication
+  PATTERN "lua-scripts/.git/*" EXCLUDE
+  PATTERN "lua-scripts/.git" EXCLUDE
+  PATTERN "lua-scripts/.gitignore" EXCLUDE
+)
+endif(USE_LUA)
diff --git a/src/lua/configuration.h b/src/lua/configuration.h
index a188e8c11de1..dcf2e78c4213 100644
--- a/src/lua/configuration.h
+++ b/src/lua/configuration.h
@@ -43,10 +43,11 @@
 // 5.0.0 was 9.4.0 (added group events and uuid)
 // 5.2.0 was 9.5.0 (added apply_sidecar to image)
 // 5.4.0 was 9.6.0 (added event querying)
+// 5.6.0 was 9.7.0 (added scripts to destribution)
 /* incompatible API change */
 #define LUA_API_VERSION_MAJOR 9
 /* backward compatible API change */
-#define LUA_API_VERSION_MINOR 6
+#define LUA_API_VERSION_MINOR 7
 /* bugfixes that should not change anything to the API */
 #define LUA_API_VERSION_PATCH 0
 /* suffix for unstable version */
diff --git a/src/lua/init.c b/src/lua/init.c
index 54e7f79397e4..0eeb57f25c6f 100644
--- a/src/lua/init.c
+++ b/src/lua/init.c
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ static int run_early_script(lua_State* L)
   char *luarc = g_build_filename(basedir, "luarc", NULL);
   dt_lua_check_print_error(L, luaL_dofile(L, luarc));
   g_free(luarc);
+fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", "past the luarc");
+  /* Move this to scripp_manager
   if(darktable.gui != NULL)
   {
     // run user init script
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ static int run_early_script(lua_State* L)
     luarc = g_build_filename(basedir, "luarc", NULL);
     dt_lua_check_print_error(L, luaL_dofile(L, luarc));
     g_free(luarc);
-  }
+  }*/
   if(!lua_isnil(L,1)){
     const char *lua_command = lua_tostring(L, 1);
     dt_lua_check_print_error(L,luaL_dostring(L,lua_command));
@@ -177,7 +179,11 @@ void dt_lua_init(lua_State *L, const char *lua_command)
   dt_loc_get_user_config_dir(tmp_path, sizeof(tmp_path));
   lua_pushstring(L, tmp_path);
   lua_pushstring(L, "/lua/?.lua");
-  lua_concat(L, 7);
+  lua_pushstring(L, ";");
+  dt_loc_get_datadir(tmp_path, sizeof(tmp_path));
+  lua_pushstring(L, tmp_path);
+  lua_pushstring(L, "/lua-scripts/?.lua");
+  lua_concat(L, 10);
   lua_setfield(L, -2, "path");
   lua_pop(L, 1);