diff --git a/plugins/lua/ts_lua.c b/plugins/lua/ts_lua.c
index 62fa893654c..b52355a1776 100644
--- a/plugins/lua/ts_lua.c
+++ b/plugins/lua/ts_lua.c
@@ -840,7 +840,7 @@ TSPluginInit(int argc, const char *argv[])
 
   if (ret != 0) {
     TSError(errbuf, NULL);
-    TSError("[ts_lua][%s] ts_lua_add_module failed", __FUNCTION__);
+    TSEmergency("[ts_lua][%s] ts_lua_add_module failed", __FUNCTION__);
     return;
   }