diff --git a/code/scripting/api/objs/message.cpp b/code/scripting/api/objs/message.cpp
index 1c0ea18a462..10057380f34 100644
--- a/code/scripting/api/objs/message.cpp
+++ b/code/scripting/api/objs/message.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,25 @@ ADE_VIRTVAR(Name, l_Persona, "string", "The name of the persona", "string", "The
 	return ade_set_args(L, "s", Personas[idx].name);
 }
 
+ADE_VIRTVAR(Index, l_Persona, nullptr, nullptr, "number", "The index of the persona")
+{
+	int idx = -1;
+
+	if (!ade_get_args(L, "o", l_Persona.Get(&idx)))
+		return ade_set_args(L, "i", -1);
+
+	if (Personas.empty())
+		return ade_set_args(L, "i", -1);
+
+	if (!SCP_vector_inbounds(Personas, idx))
+		return ade_set_args(L, "i", -1);
+
+	if (ADE_SETTING_VAR)
+		LuaError(L, "Setting index is not supported");
+
+	return ade_set_args(L, "i", idx + 1);
+}
+
 ADE_FUNC(isValid, l_Persona, NULL, "Detect if the handle is valid", "boolean", "true if valid, false otherwise")
 {
 	int idx = -1;
diff --git a/code/scripting/api/objs/ship.cpp b/code/scripting/api/objs/ship.cpp
index 0dd52cd1110..0d0b2cdea4d 100644
--- a/code/scripting/api/objs/ship.cpp
+++ b/code/scripting/api/objs/ship.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "object/objectdock.h"
 #include "parse/parselo.h"
 #include "playerman/player.h"
+#include "scripting/api/objs/message.h"
 #include "ship/ship.h"
 #include "ship/shipfx.h"
 #include "ship/shiphit.h"
@@ -831,7 +832,7 @@ ADE_VIRTVAR(Team, l_Ship, "team", "Ship's team", "team", "Ship team, or invalid
 	return ade_set_args(L, "o", l_Team.Set(shipp->team));
 }
 
-ADE_VIRTVAR(PersonaIndex, l_Ship, "number", "Persona index", "number", "The index of the persona from messages.tbl, 0 if no persona is set")
+ADE_VIRTVAR_DEPRECATED(PersonaIndex, l_Ship, "number", "Persona index", "number", "The index of the persona from messages.tbl, 0 if no persona is set", gameversion::version(25, 0), "Deprecated in favor of Persona")
 {
 	object_h *objh;
 	int p_index = -1;
@@ -849,6 +850,28 @@ ADE_VIRTVAR(PersonaIndex, l_Ship, "number", "Persona index", "number", "The inde
 	return ade_set_args(L, "i", shipp->persona_index + 1);
 }
 
+ADE_VIRTVAR(Persona, l_Ship, "persona", "The persona of the ship, if any", "persona", "Persona handle or invalid handle on error")
+{
+	object_h* objh;
+	int idx = -1;
+	if (!ade_get_args(L, "o|o", l_Ship.GetPtr(&objh), l_Persona.Get(&idx)))
+		return ade_set_error(L, "o", l_Persona.Set(-1));
+
+	if (!objh->isValid())
+		return ade_set_error(L, "o", l_Persona.Set(-1));
+
+	ship* shipp = &Ships[objh->objp()->instance];
+
+	if (ADE_SETTING_VAR && idx > -1) {
+		shipp->persona_index = idx;
+	}
+
+	if (!SCP_vector_inbounds(Personas, shipp->persona_index))
+		return ade_set_args(L, "o", l_Persona.Set(-1));
+	else
+		return ade_set_args(L, "o", l_Persona.Set(shipp->persona_index));
+}
+
 ADE_VIRTVAR(Textures, l_Ship, "modelinstancetextures", "Gets ship textures", "modelinstancetextures", "Ship textures, or invalid shiptextures handle if ship handle is invalid")
 {
 	object_h *sh = nullptr;