diff --git a/lapi.c b/lapi.c
index 3ea3d0aa..aa2ee735 100644
--- a/lapi.c
+++ b/lapi.c
@@ -1186,27 +1186,37 @@ LUA_API int lua_gc (lua_State *L, int what, ...) {
       break;
     }
     case LUA_GCGEN: {
+#if defined(LUA_COMPAT_GCPARAMS)
       int minormul = va_arg(argp, int);
       int minormajor = va_arg(argp, int);
-      int majorminor = va_arg(argp, int);
+      if (minormul > 0) setgcparam(g, MINORMUL, minormul);
+      if (minormajor > 0) setgcparam(g, MINORMAJOR, minormajor);
+#endif
       res = (g->gckind == KGC_INC) ? LUA_GCINC : LUA_GCGEN;
-      setgcparam(g, gcpgenminormul, minormul);
-      setgcparam(g, gcpminormajor, minormajor);
-      setgcparam(g, gcpmajorminor, majorminor);
       luaC_changemode(L, KGC_GENMINOR);
       break;
     }
     case LUA_GCINC: {
+#if defined(LUA_COMPAT_GCPARAMS)
       int pause = va_arg(argp, int);
       int stepmul = va_arg(argp, int);
       int stepsize = va_arg(argp, int);
+      if (pause > 0) setgcparam(g, PAUSE, pause);
+      if (stepmul > 0) setgcparam(g, STEPMUL, stepmul);
+      if (stepsize > 0) setgcparam(g, STEPSIZE, 1u << stepsize);
+#endif
       res = (g->gckind == KGC_INC) ? LUA_GCINC : LUA_GCGEN;
-      setgcparam(g, gcppause, pause);
-      setgcparam(g, gcpstepmul, stepmul);
-      setgcparam(g, gcpstepsize, stepsize);
       luaC_changemode(L, KGC_INC);
       break;
     }
+    case LUA_GCSETPARAM: {
+      int param = va_arg(argp, int);
+      int value = va_arg(argp, int);
+      api_check(L, 0 <= param && param < LUA_GCPN, "invalid parameter");
+      res = luaO_applyparam(g->gcparams[param], 100);
+      g->gcparams[param] = luaO_codeparam(value);
+      break;
+    }
     default: res = -1;  /* invalid option */
   }
   va_end(argp);
diff --git a/lbaselib.c b/lbaselib.c
index 9ad84dcf..03df57f8 100644
--- a/lbaselib.c
+++ b/lbaselib.c
@@ -198,9 +198,11 @@ static int pushmode (lua_State *L, int oldmode) {
 
 static int luaB_collectgarbage (lua_State *L) {
   static const char *const opts[] = {"stop", "restart", "collect",
-    "count", "step", "isrunning", "generational", "incremental", NULL};
-  static const int optsnum[] = {LUA_GCSTOP, LUA_GCRESTART, LUA_GCCOLLECT,
-    LUA_GCCOUNT, LUA_GCSTEP, LUA_GCISRUNNING, LUA_GCGEN, LUA_GCINC};
+    "count", "step", "isrunning", "generational", "incremental",
+    "setparam", NULL};
+  static const char optsnum[] = {LUA_GCSTOP, LUA_GCRESTART, LUA_GCCOLLECT,
+    LUA_GCCOUNT, LUA_GCSTEP, LUA_GCISRUNNING, LUA_GCGEN, LUA_GCINC,
+    LUA_GCSETPARAM};
   int o = optsnum[luaL_checkoption(L, 1, "collect", opts)];
   switch (o) {
     case LUA_GCCOUNT: {
@@ -224,17 +226,39 @@ static int luaB_collectgarbage (lua_State *L) {
       return 1;
     }
     case LUA_GCGEN: {
+#if defined(LUA_COMPAT_GCPARAMS)
       int minormul = (int)luaL_optinteger(L, 2, -1);
       int majorminor = (int)luaL_optinteger(L, 3, -1);
-      int minormajor = (int)luaL_optinteger(L, 4, -1);
-      return pushmode(L, lua_gc(L, o, minormul, majorminor, minormajor));
+#else
+      int minormul = 0;
+      int majorminor = 0;
+#endif
+      return pushmode(L, lua_gc(L, o, minormul, majorminor));
     }
     case LUA_GCINC: {
+#if defined(LUA_COMPAT_GCPARAMS)
       int pause = (int)luaL_optinteger(L, 2, -1);
       int stepmul = (int)luaL_optinteger(L, 3, -1);
       int stepsize = (int)luaL_optinteger(L, 4, -1);
+#else
+      int pause = 0;
+      int stepmul = 0;
+      int stepsize = 0;
+#endif
       return pushmode(L, lua_gc(L, o, pause, stepmul, stepsize));
     }
+    case LUA_GCSETPARAM: {
+      static const char *const params[] = {
+        "minormul", "majorminor", "minormajor",
+        "pause", "stepmul", "stepsize", NULL};
+      static const char pnum[] = {
+        LUA_GCPMINORMUL, LUA_GCPMAJORMINOR, LUA_GCPMINORMAJOR,
+        LUA_GCPPAUSE, LUA_GCPSTEPMUL, LUA_GCPSTEPSIZE};
+      int p = pnum[luaL_checkoption(L, 2, NULL, params)];
+      lua_Integer value = luaL_checkinteger(L, 3);
+      lua_pushinteger(L, lua_gc(L, o, p, value));
+      return 1;
+    }
     default: {
       int res = lua_gc(L, o);
       checkvalres(res);
diff --git a/lgc.c b/lgc.c
index 149dddf6..bc4ddb0b 100644
--- a/lgc.c
+++ b/lgc.c
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ void luaC_checkfinalizer (lua_State *L, GCObject *o, Table *mt) {
 ** approximately (marked * pause / 100).
 */
 static void setpause (global_State *g) {
-  l_obj threshold = luaO_applyparam(g->gcppause, g->marked);
+  l_obj threshold = applygcparam(g, PAUSE, g->marked);
   l_obj debt = threshold - gettotalobjs(g);
   if (debt < 0) debt = 0;
   luaE_setdebt(g, debt);
@@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ static void minor2inc (lua_State *L, global_State *g, int kind) {
   g->finobjrold = g->finobjold1 = g->finobjsur = NULL;
   entersweep(L);  /* continue as an incremental cycle */
   /* set a debt equal to the step size */
-  luaE_setdebt(g, luaO_applyparam(g->gcpstepsize, 100));
+  luaE_setdebt(g, applygcparam(g, STEPSIZE, 100));
 }
 
 
@@ -1255,8 +1255,8 @@ static void minor2inc (lua_State *L, global_State *g, int kind) {
 ** major collection. (That percentage is computed in 'limit'.)
 */
 static int checkminormajor (lua_State *L, global_State *g, l_obj addedold1) {
-  l_obj step = luaO_applyparam(g->gcpgenminormul, g->GCmajorminor);
-  l_obj limit = luaO_applyparam(g->gcpminormajor, g->GCmajorminor);
+  l_obj step = applygcparam(g, MINORMUL, g->GCmajorminor);
+  l_obj limit = applygcparam(g, MINORMAJOR, g->GCmajorminor);
 //printf("-> major? %ld %ld %ld %ld (%ld)\n", g->marked, limit, step, addedold1, gettotalobjs(g));
   if (addedold1 >= (step >> 1) || g->marked >= limit) {
     minor2inc(L, g, KGC_GENMAJOR);  /* go to major mode */
@@ -1347,7 +1347,7 @@ static void atomic2gen (lua_State *L, global_State *g) {
 ** total number of objects grows 'genminormul'%.
 */
 static void setminordebt (global_State *g) {
-  luaE_setdebt(g, luaO_applyparam(g->gcpgenminormul, g->GCmajorminor));
+  luaE_setdebt(g, applygcparam(g, MINORMUL, g->GCmajorminor));
 }
 
 
@@ -1404,7 +1404,7 @@ static int checkmajorminor (lua_State *L, global_State *g) {
   if (g->gckind == KGC_GENMAJOR) {
     l_obj numobjs = gettotalobjs(g);
     l_obj addedobjs = numobjs - g->GCmajorminor;
-    l_obj limit = luaO_applyparam(g->gcpmajorminor, addedobjs);
+    l_obj limit = applygcparam(g, MAJORMINOR, addedobjs);
     l_obj tobecollected = numobjs - g->marked;
 //printf("-> minor? %ld %ld %ld\n", tobecollected, limit, numobjs);
     if (tobecollected > limit) {
@@ -1634,8 +1634,8 @@ void luaC_runtilstate (lua_State *L, int state, int fast) {
 ** controls when next step will be performed.
 */
 static void incstep (lua_State *L, global_State *g) {
-  l_obj stepsize = luaO_applyparam(g->gcpstepsize, 100);
-  l_obj work2do = luaO_applyparam(g->gcpstepmul, stepsize);
+  l_obj stepsize = applygcparam(g, STEPSIZE, 100);
+  l_obj work2do = applygcparam(g, STEPMUL, stepsize);
   int fast = 0;
   if (work2do == 0) {  /* special case: do a full collection */
     work2do = MAX_LOBJ;  /* do unlimited work */
diff --git a/lgc.h b/lgc.h
index 6a03f787..9aff11f5 100644
--- a/lgc.h
+++ b/lgc.h
@@ -193,7 +193,8 @@
 #define LUAI_GCSTEPSIZE	250
 
 
-#define setgcparam(g,p,v)	if ((v) >= 0) {g->p = luaO_codeparam(v);}
+#define setgcparam(g,p,v)  (g->gcparams[LUA_GCP##p] = luaO_codeparam(v))
+#define applygcparam(g,p,x)  luaO_applyparam(g->gcparams[LUA_GCP##p], x)
 
 /*
 ** Control when GC is running:
diff --git a/lstate.c b/lstate.c
index 19505845..de02c91a 100644
--- a/lstate.c
+++ b/lstate.c
@@ -365,12 +365,12 @@ LUA_API lua_State *lua_newstate (lua_Alloc f, void *ud, unsigned int seed) {
   g->marked = 0;
   g->GCdebt = 0;
   setivalue(&g->nilvalue, 0);  /* to signal that state is not yet built */
-  setgcparam(g, gcppause, LUAI_GCPAUSE);
-  setgcparam(g, gcpstepmul, LUAI_GCMUL);
-  setgcparam(g, gcpstepsize, LUAI_GCSTEPSIZE);
-  setgcparam(g, gcpgenminormul, LUAI_GENMINORMUL);
-  setgcparam(g, gcpminormajor, LUAI_MINORMAJOR);
-  setgcparam(g, gcpmajorminor, LUAI_MAJORMINOR);
+  setgcparam(g, PAUSE, LUAI_GCPAUSE);
+  setgcparam(g, STEPMUL, LUAI_GCMUL);
+  setgcparam(g, STEPSIZE, LUAI_GCSTEPSIZE);
+  setgcparam(g, MINORMUL, LUAI_GENMINORMUL);
+  setgcparam(g, MINORMAJOR, LUAI_MINORMAJOR);
+  setgcparam(g, MAJORMINOR, LUAI_MAJORMINOR);
   for (i=0; i < LUA_NUMTAGS; i++) g->mt[i] = NULL;
   if (luaD_rawrunprotected(L, f_luaopen, NULL) != LUA_OK) {
     /* memory allocation error: free partial state */
diff --git a/lstate.h b/lstate.h
index 5e2020e7..7f567453 100644
--- a/lstate.h
+++ b/lstate.h
@@ -264,12 +264,7 @@ typedef struct global_State {
   TValue l_registry;
   TValue nilvalue;  /* a nil value */
   unsigned int seed;  /* randomized seed for hashes */
-  lu_byte gcpgenminormul;  /* control minor generational collections */
-  lu_byte gcpmajorminor;  /* control shift major->minor */
-  lu_byte gcpminormajor;  /* control shift minor->major */
-  lu_byte gcppause;  /* size of pause between successive GCs */
-  lu_byte gcpstepmul;  /* GC "speed" */
-  lu_byte gcpstepsize;  /* GC granularity */
+  lu_byte gcparams[LUA_GCPN];
   lu_byte currentwhite;
   lu_byte gcstate;  /* state of garbage collector */
   lu_byte gckind;  /* kind of GC running */
diff --git a/ltests.c b/ltests.c
index 93af528e..cf9a8eaf 100644
--- a/ltests.c
+++ b/ltests.c
@@ -1037,12 +1037,12 @@ static int query_GCparams (lua_State *L) {
   global_State *g = G(L);
   lua_pushinteger(L, gettotalobjs(g));
   lua_pushinteger(L, g->GCdebt);
-  lua_pushinteger(L, luaO_applyparam(g->gcpgenminormul, 100));
-  lua_pushinteger(L, luaO_applyparam(g->gcpmajorminor, 100));
-  lua_pushinteger(L, luaO_applyparam(g->gcpminormajor, 100));
-  lua_pushinteger(L, luaO_applyparam(g->gcppause, 100));
-  lua_pushinteger(L, luaO_applyparam(g->gcpstepmul, 100));
-  lua_pushinteger(L, luaO_applyparam(g->gcpstepsize, 100));
+  lua_pushinteger(L, applygcparam(g, MINORMUL, 100));
+  lua_pushinteger(L, applygcparam(g, MAJORMINOR, 100));
+  lua_pushinteger(L, applygcparam(g, MINORMAJOR, 100));
+  lua_pushinteger(L, applygcparam(g, PAUSE, 100));
+  lua_pushinteger(L, applygcparam(g, STEPMUL, 100));
+  lua_pushinteger(L, applygcparam(g, STEPSIZE, 100));
   return 8;
 }
 
diff --git a/ltests.h b/ltests.h
index da773d6e..70afa7a3 100644
--- a/ltests.h
+++ b/ltests.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 #define LUA_COMPAT_MATHLIB
 #define LUA_COMPAT_LT_LE
 
+#define LUA_COMPAT_GCPARAMS
+
 
 #define LUA_DEBUG
 
diff --git a/lua.c b/lua.c
index d26dd8ac..1e884b07 100644
--- a/lua.c
+++ b/lua.c
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ static int pmain (lua_State *L) {
   luai_openlibs(L);  /* open standard libraries */
   createargtable(L, argv, argc, script);  /* create table 'arg' */
   lua_gc(L, LUA_GCRESTART);  /* start GC... */
-  lua_gc(L, LUA_GCGEN, -1, -1, -1);  /* ...in generational mode */
+  lua_gc(L, LUA_GCGEN, 0, 0);  /* ...in generational mode */
   if (!(args & has_E)) {  /* no option '-E'? */
     if (handle_luainit(L) != LUA_OK)  /* run LUA_INIT */
       return 0;  /* error running LUA_INIT */
diff --git a/lua.h b/lua.h
index 32768561..5e2e08d9 100644
--- a/lua.h
+++ b/lua.h
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ LUA_API void (lua_warning)  (lua_State *L, const char *msg, int tocont);
 
 
 /*
-** garbage-collection function and options
+** garbage-collection options
 */
 
 #define LUA_GCSTOP		0
@@ -337,6 +337,25 @@ LUA_API void (lua_warning)  (lua_State *L, const char *msg, int tocont);
 #define LUA_GCISRUNNING		6
 #define LUA_GCGEN		7
 #define LUA_GCINC		8
+#define LUA_GCSETPARAM		9
+
+
+/*
+** garbage-collection parameters
+*/
+/* parameters for generational mode */
+#define LUA_GCPMINORMUL		0  /* control minor collections */
+#define LUA_GCPMAJORMINOR	1  /* control shift major->minor */
+#define LUA_GCPMINORMAJOR	2  /* control shift minor->major */
+
+/* parameters for incremental mode */
+#define LUA_GCPPAUSE		3  /* size of pause between successive GCs */
+#define LUA_GCPSTEPMUL		4  /* GC "speed" */
+#define LUA_GCPSTEPSIZE		5  /* GC granularity */
+
+/* number of parameters */
+#define LUA_GCPN		6
+
 
 LUA_API int (lua_gc) (lua_State *L, int what, ...);
 
diff --git a/manual/manual.of b/manual/manual.of
index e6a3cd9e..92d408e5 100644
--- a/manual/manual.of
+++ b/manual/manual.of
@@ -681,12 +681,10 @@ effectively producing a non-incremental, stop-the-world collector.
 The garbage-collector step size controls the
 size of each incremental step,
 specifically how many objects the interpreter creates
-before performing a step.
-This parameter is logarithmic:
-A value of @M{n} means the interpreter will create @M{2@sp{n}}
-objects between steps.
-The default value is 8,
-which means steps of approximately @N{256 objects}.
+before performing a step:
+A value of @M{n} means the interpreter will create
+approximately @M{n} objects between steps.
+The default value is 250.
 
 }
 
@@ -728,11 +726,13 @@ The default value is 100.
 The major-minor multiplier controls the shift back to minor collections.
 For a multiplier @M{x},
 the collector will shift back to minor collections
-after a major collection collects at least @M{x%} of the allocated objects.
+after a major collection collects at least @M{x%}
+of the objects allocated during the last cycle.
+
 In particular, for a multiplier of 0,
 the collector will immediately shift back to minor collections
 after doing one cycle of major collections.
-The default value is 20.
+The default value is 80.
 
 }
 
@@ -3336,19 +3336,32 @@ Returns a boolean that tells whether the collector is running
 (i.e., not stopped).
 }
 
-@item{@defid{LUA_GCINC} (int pause, int stepmul, int stepsize)|
-Changes the collector to incremental mode
-with the given parameters @see{incmode}.
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCINC}|
+Changes the collector to incremental mode.
 Returns the previous mode (@id{LUA_GCGEN} or @id{LUA_GCINC}).
 }
 
-@item{@defid{LUA_GCGEN} (int minormul, int minormajor, int majorminor)|
-Changes the collector to generational mode
-with the given parameters @see{genmode}.
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCGEN}|
+Changes the collector to generational mode.
 Returns the previous mode (@id{LUA_GCGEN} or @id{LUA_GCINC}).
 }
 
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCSETPARAM} (int param, int value)|
+Changes the values of a parameter of the collector and returns
+the previous value of that parameter.
+The argument @id{param} must have one of the following values:
+@description{
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCPMINORMUL}| The minor multiplier. }
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCPMAJORMINOR}| The major-minor multiplier. }
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCPMINORMAJOR}| The minor-major multiplier. }
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCPPAUSE}| The garbage-collector pause. }
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCPSTEPMUL}| The step multiplier. }
+@item{@defid{LUA_GCPSTEPSIZE}| The step size. }
 }
+}
+
+}
+
 For more details about these options,
 see @Lid{collectgarbage}.
 
@@ -6347,20 +6360,35 @@ Returns a boolean that tells whether the collector is running
 }
 
 @item{@St{incremental}|
-Change the collector mode to incremental.
-This option can be followed by three numbers:
-the garbage-collector pause,
-the step multiplier,
-and the step size @see{incmode}.
-A -1 or absent value means to not change that value.
+Changes the collector mode to incremental and returns the previous mode.
 }
 
 @item{@St{generational}|
-Change the collector mode to generational.
-This option can be followed by three numbers:
-the garbage-collector minor multiplier,
-the minor-major multiplier, and the major-minor multiplier @see{genmode}.
-A -1 or absent value means to not change that value.
+Changes the collector mode to generational and returns the previous mode.
+}
+
+@item{@St{setparam}|
+Changes the values of a parameter of the collector and returns
+the previous value of that parameter.
+This option must be followed by two extra arguments:
+The name of the parameter being changed (a string)
+and the new value for that parameter (an integer).
+The argument @id{param} must have one of the following values:
+@description{
+@item{@St{minormul}| The minor multiplier. }
+@item{@St{majorminor}| The major-minor multiplier. }
+@item{@St{minormajor}| The minor-major multiplier. }
+@item{@St{pause}| The garbage-collector pause. }
+@item{@St{stepmul}| The step multiplier. }
+@item{@St{stepsize}| The step size. }
+}
+To be able to divide by 100
+(as most parameters are given as percentages)
+without using floating-point arithmetic,
+Lua stores these parameters encoded.
+This encoding approximates the real value;
+so, the value returned as the previous value may not be
+equal to the last value set.
 }
 
 }
@@ -9249,9 +9277,10 @@ declare a local variable with the same name in the loop body.
 @itemize{
 
 @item{
-There were several changes in the parameters
-for the options @St{incremental} and @St{generational}
-of the function @Lid{collectgarbage}.
+Parameters for the garbage collection are not set
+with the options @St{incremental} and @St{generational};
+instead, there is a new option @St{setparam} to that end.
+Moreover, there were some changes in the parameters themselves.
 }
 
 }
@@ -9277,9 +9306,10 @@ to signal the end of the dump.
 }
 
 @item{
-There were several changes in the parameters
-for the options @Lid{LUA_GCINC} and @Lid{LUA_GCGEN}
-of the function @Lid{lua_gc}.
+Parameters for the garbage collection are not set
+with the options @Lid{LUA_GCINC} and @Lid{LUA_GCGEN};
+instead, there is a new option @Lid{LUA_GCSETPARAM} to that end.
+Moreover, there were some changes in the parameters themselves.
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/testes/gc.lua b/testes/gc.lua
index d7e0c4ff..61b5da9c 100644
--- a/testes/gc.lua
+++ b/testes/gc.lua
@@ -27,17 +27,20 @@ end
 
 -- test weird parameters to 'collectgarbage'
 do
+  collectgarbage("incremental")
+  local opause = collectgarbage("setparam", "pause", 100)
+  local ostepmul = collectgarbage("setparam", "stepmul", 100)
   local t = {0, 2, 10, 90, 500, 5000, 30000, 0x7ffffffe}
   for i = 1, #t do
-    local p = t[i]
+    collectgarbage("setparam", "pause", t[i])
     for j = 1, #t do
-      local m = t[j]
-      collectgarbage("incremental", p, m)
+      collectgarbage("setparam", "stepmul", t[j])
       collectgarbage("step")
     end
   end
   -- restore original parameters
-  collectgarbage("incremental", 200, 300)
+  collectgarbage("setparam", "pause", opause)
+  collectgarbage("setparam", "stepmul", ostepmul)
   collectgarbage()
 end
 
diff --git a/testes/gengc.lua b/testes/gengc.lua
index d708d7fc..cae07285 100644
--- a/testes/gengc.lua
+++ b/testes/gengc.lua
@@ -163,14 +163,15 @@ assert(collectgarbage'isrunning')
 
 
 do  print"testing stop-the-world collection"
-  collectgarbage("incremental", nil, 0)
+  local step = collectgarbage("setparam", "stepsize", 0);
+  collectgarbage("incremental")
 
   -- each step does a complete cycle
   assert(collectgarbage("step"))
   assert(collectgarbage("step"))
 
   -- back to default value
-  collectgarbage("incremental", nil, 200)
+  collectgarbage("setparam", "stepsize", step);
 end
 
 collectgarbage(oldmode)