diff --git a/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua b/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua
index 6693adc..8dbffc5 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function Task.new(plugin, name, task, opts)
   local self = setmetatable({}, { __index = Task })
   self._opts = opts or {}
   self._log = {}
-  self._level = vim.log.levels.TRACE
+  self:set_level()
   self.plugin = plugin
   self.name = name
   ---@param other LazyTask
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ function Task:has_warnings()
   return self._level >= vim.log.levels.WARN
 end
 
+---@param level? number
+function Task:set_level(level)
+  self._level = level or vim.log.levels.TRACE
+end
+
 ---@private
 ---@param task LazyTaskFn
 function Task:_start(task)
@@ -218,6 +223,7 @@ function Task:spawn(cmd, opts)
   end
 
   local running = true
+  local ret = true
   ---@param output string
   function opts.on_exit(ok, output)
     if not headless then
@@ -226,6 +232,7 @@ function Task:spawn(cmd, opts)
     if on_exit then
       pcall(on_exit, ok, output)
     end
+    ret = ok
     running = false
   end
 
@@ -240,6 +247,7 @@ function Task:spawn(cmd, opts)
   while running do
     coroutine.yield()
   end
+  return ret
 end
 
 function Task:prefix()
diff --git a/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua b/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua
index 04ff937..2580afa 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ function M.check(opts)
   return ok
 end
 
+---@async
 ---@param task LazyTask
 function M.build(task)
   if
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@ function M.build(task)
   )
 
   local root = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/" .. task.plugin.name
-  task:spawn(luarocks, {
+  local ok = task:spawn(luarocks, {
     args = {
       "--tree",
       root,
@@ -181,6 +182,30 @@ function M.build(task)
     cwd = task.plugin.dir,
     env = env,
   })
+
+  if ok then
+    return
+  end
+
+  task:warn("Failed installing " .. rockspec.package .. " with `luarocks`.\nTrying to build from source.")
+
+  -- install failed, so try building from source
+  task:set_level() -- reset level
+  task:spawn(luarocks, {
+    args = {
+      "--tree",
+      root,
+      "--dev",
+      "--lua-version",
+      "5.1",
+      "make",
+      "--force-fast",
+      "--deps-mode",
+      "one",
+    },
+    cwd = task.plugin.dir,
+    env = env,
+  })
 end
 
 ---@param rockspec RockSpec