diff --git a/sphinx/templates/latex/content.tex_t b/sphinx/templates/latex/content.tex_t
index bb824fa3e..670a92f46 100644
--- a/sphinx/templates/latex/content.tex_t
+++ b/sphinx/templates/latex/content.tex_t
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 %% Generated by Sphinx.
 \def\sphinxdocclass{<%= docclass %>}
+<% if latex_engine == 'lualatex' -%>
+\IfFileExists{luatex85.sty}
+ {\RequirePackage{luatex85}}
+ {\ifdefined\luatexversion\ifnum\luatexversion>84\relax
+  \PackageError{sphinx}
+  {** With this LuaTeX (\the\luatexversion),Sphinx requires luatex85.sty **}
+  {** Add the LaTeX package luatex85 to your TeX installation, and try again **}
+  \endinput\fi\fi}
+<% endif -%>
 \documentclass[<%= papersize %>,<%= pointsize %><%= classoptions %>]{<%= wrapperclass %>}
 \ifdefined\pdfpxdimen
    \let\sphinxpxdimen\pdfpxdimen\else\newdimen\sphinxpxdimen
diff --git a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxhowto.cls b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxhowto.cls
index 586e2a0d1..3e34063ef 100644
--- a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxhowto.cls
+++ b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxhowto.cls
@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@
 \NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}[1995/12/01]
 \ProvidesClass{sphinxhowto}[2016/10/12 v1.5 Document class (Sphinx HOWTO)]
 
-\ifx\directlua\undefined\else
-% if compiling with lualatex 0.85 or later load compatibility patch issued by
-% the LaTeX team for older packages relying on \pdf<name> named primitives.
-    \IfFileExists{luatex85.sty}{\RequirePackage{luatex85}}{}
-\fi
-
 % 'oneside' option overriding the 'twoside' default
 \newif\if@oneside
 \DeclareOption{oneside}{\@onesidetrue}
diff --git a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxmanual.cls b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxmanual.cls
index a56a2bf20..3a48c6760 100644
--- a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxmanual.cls
+++ b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinxmanual.cls
@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@
 \NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}[1995/12/01]
 \ProvidesClass{sphinxmanual}[2016/10/12 v1.5 Document class (Sphinx manual)]
 
-\ifx\directlua\undefined\else
-% if compiling with lualatex 0.85 or later load compatibility patch issued by
-% the LaTeX team for older packages relying on \pdf<name> named primitives.
-    \IfFileExists{luatex85.sty}{\RequirePackage{luatex85}}{}
-\fi
-
 % chapters starting at odd pages (overridden by 'openany' document option)
 \PassOptionsToClass{openright}{\sphinxdocclass}
 
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index a384d7aef..90d7096cd 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ URI_SCHEMES = ('mailto:', 'http:', 'https:', 'ftp:')
 SECNUMDEPTH = 3
 
 DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
+    'latex_engine':    'pdflatex',
     'papersize':       'letterpaper',
     'pointsize':       '10pt',
     'pxunit':          '49336sp',
@@ -56,12 +57,10 @@ DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
     'sphinxpackageoptions': '',
     'sphinxsetup':     '',
     'passoptionstopackages': '',
-    'geometry':        '\\usepackage[margin=1in,marginparwidth=0.5in]'
-                       '{geometry}',
+    'geometry':       ('\\usepackage[margin=1in,marginparwidth=0.5in]'
+                       '{geometry}'),
     'inputenc':        '',
-    'utf8extra':       ('\\ifdefined\\DeclareUnicodeCharacter\n'
-                        '  \\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{00A0}{\\leavevmode\\nobreak\\ }\n'
-                        '\\fi'),
+    'utf8extra':       '',
     'cmappkg':         '\\usepackage{cmap}',
     'fontenc':         '\\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}',
     'amsmath':         '\\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb,amstext}',
@@ -103,13 +102,23 @@ DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
 ADDITIONAL_SETTINGS = {
     'pdflatex': {
         'inputenc':     '\\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}',
+        'utf8extra':    '\\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{00A0}{\\nobreakspace}',
     },
     'xelatex': {
-        'utf8extra':   ('\\catcode`^^^^00a0\\active\\protected\\def^^^^00a0'
-                        '{\\leavevmode\\nobreak\\ }'),
+        'latex_engine': 'xelatex',
         'polyglossia':  '\\usepackage{polyglossia}',
         'fontenc':      '\\usepackage{fontspec}',
         'fontpkg':      '',
+        'utf8extra':   ('\\catcode`^^^^00a0\\active\\protected\\def^^^^00a0'
+                        '{\\leavevmode\\nobreak\\ }'),
+    },
+    'lualatex': {
+        'latex_engine': 'lualatex',
+        'utf8extra':   ('\\catcode`^^^^00a0\\active\\protected\\def^^^^00a0'
+                        '{\\leavevmode\\nobreak\\ }'),
+    },
+    'platex': {
+        'latex_engine': 'platex',
     },
 }