diff --git a/modules/tools/lookup/config.el b/modules/tools/lookup/config.el
index cd78596b3..a186ed10c 100644
--- a/modules/tools/lookup/config.el
+++ b/modules/tools/lookup/config.el
@@ -136,12 +136,17 @@ Dictionary.app behind the scenes to get definitions.")
   (use-package! ivy-xref
     :when (featurep! :completion ivy)
     :config
-    (setq xref-show-xrefs-function #'ivy-xref-show-xrefs)
-    (set-popup-rule! "^\\*xref\\*$" :ignore t))
+    (set-popup-rule! "^\\*xref\\*$" :ignore t)
+    ;; xref initialization is different in Emacs 27 - there are two different
+    ;; variables which can be set rather than just one
+    (when EMACS27+
+      (setq xref-show-definitions-function #'ivy-xref-show-defs))
+    ;; Necessary in Emacs <27. In Emacs 27 it will affect all xref-based
+    ;; commands other than xref-find-definitions too (eg project-find-regexp)
+    (setq xref-show-xrefs-function #'ivy-xref-show-xrefs))
 
   (use-package! helm-xref
-    :when (featurep! :completion helm)
-    :config (setq xref-show-xrefs-function (if EMACS27+ #'helm-xref-show-xrefs-27 #'helm-xref-show-xrefs))))
+    :when (featurep! :completion helm)))
 
 
 ;;