diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9576e197fe2..ea9a77349cd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
   - Changes from 5.25.0
     - Build:
       - CHANGED: Replace Travis with Github Actions for CI builds [#6071](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/6071)
+    - API:
+      - FIXED: Allow for special characters in the profile/method as part of the HTTP URL.
+
 # 5.25.0
   - Changes from 5.24.0
     - Build:
@@ -119,7 +122,7 @@
 ](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5076/)
       - CHANGED: Foot profile now blacklists barriers instead of whitelisting them [#5077
 ](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5077/)
-      - CHANGED: Support maxlength and maxweight in car profile [#5101](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5101]
+      - CHANGED: Support maxlength and maxweight in car profile [#5101](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5101)
     - Bugfixes:
       - FIXED: collapsing of ExitRoundabout instructions [#5114](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/issues/5114)
     - Misc:
diff --git a/cmake/FindLua.cmake b/cmake/FindLua.cmake
index 2b732ca210b..237dca8e6df 100644
--- a/cmake/FindLua.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindLua.cmake
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ unset(_lua_append_versions)
 
 # this is a function only to have all the variables inside go away automatically
 function(_lua_set_version_vars)
-    set(LUA_VERSIONS5 5.3 5.2 5.1 5.0)
+    set(LUA_VERSIONS5 5.4 5.3 5.2 5.1 5.0)
 
     if (Lua_FIND_VERSION_EXACT)
         if (Lua_FIND_VERSION_COUNT GREATER 1)
diff --git a/src/server/api/url_parser.cpp b/src/server/api/url_parser.cpp
index b5da6fccedf..1a10f66c326 100644
--- a/src/server/api/url_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/server/api/url_parser.cpp
@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@ struct URLParser final : qi::grammar<Iterator, Into>
     {
         using boost::spirit::repository::qi::iter_pos;
 
-        alpha_numeral = qi::char_("a-zA-Z0-9");
+        identifier = qi::char_("a-zA-Z0-9_.~:-");
         percent_encoding =
             qi::char_('%') > qi::uint_parser<unsigned char, 16, 2, 2>()[qi::_val = qi::_1];
-        polyline_chars = qi::char_("a-zA-Z0-9_.--[]{}@?|\\~`^") | percent_encoding;
-        all_chars = polyline_chars | qi::char_("=,;:&().");
+        polyline_chars = qi::char_("a-zA-Z0-9_[]{}@?|\\~`^") | percent_encoding;
+        all_chars = polyline_chars | qi::char_("=,;:&().-");
 
-        service = +alpha_numeral;
+        service = +identifier;
         version = qi::uint_;
-        profile = +alpha_numeral;
+        profile = +identifier;
         query = +all_chars;
 
         // Example input: /route/v1/driving/7.416351,43.731205;7.420363,43.736189
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ struct URLParser final : qi::grammar<Iterator, Into>
     qi::rule<Iterator, std::string()> profile;
     qi::rule<Iterator, std::string()> query;
 
-    qi::rule<Iterator, char()> alpha_numeral;
+    qi::rule<Iterator, char()> identifier;
     qi::rule<Iterator, char()> all_chars;
     qi::rule<Iterator, char()> polyline_chars;
     qi::rule<Iterator, char()> percent_encoding;
diff --git a/unit_tests/server/url_parser.cpp b/unit_tests/server/url_parser.cpp
index 58f6f649659..98f05041037 100644
--- a/unit_tests/server/url_parser.cpp
+++ b/unit_tests/server/url_parser.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(invalid_urls)
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(testInvalidURL("/route/"), 7UL);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(testInvalidURL("/route/bla"), 7UL);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(testInvalidURL("/route/1/1,2;3;4"), 7UL);
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(testInvalidURL("/route/v1/pro_file/1,2;3,4"), 13UL);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(testInvalidURL("/route/v1/pro[]file/1,2;3,4"), 13UL);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(testInvalidURL("/route/v1/profile"), 17UL);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(testInvalidURL("/route/v1/profile/"), 18UL);
 }
@@ -124,6 +124,16 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(valid_urls)
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(reference_8.profile, result_8->profile);
     CHECK_EQUAL_RANGE(reference_8.query, result_8->query);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(reference_8.prefix_length, result_8->prefix_length);
+
+    // profile with special characters
+    api::ParsedURL reference_9{"route", 1, "foo-bar_baz.profile", "0,1;2,3;4,5?options=value&foo=bar", 30UL};
+    auto result_9 = api::parseURL("/route/v1/foo-bar_baz.profile/0,1;2,3;4,5?options=value&foo=bar");
+    BOOST_CHECK(result_9);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(reference_9.service, result_9->service);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(reference_9.version, result_9->version);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(reference_9.profile, result_9->profile);
+    CHECK_EQUAL_RANGE(reference_9.query, result_9->query);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(reference_9.prefix_length, result_9->prefix_length);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()