diff --git a/ruby/private/binary.bzl b/ruby/private/binary.bzl
index 3c8761a..a354d73 100644
--- a/ruby/private/binary.bzl
+++ b/ruby/private/binary.bzl
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ def _to_manifest_path(ctx, file):
         return ("%s/%s" % (ctx.workspace_name, file.short_path))
 
 def _ruby_binary_impl(ctx):
+    return _ruby_binary_rules_impl(
+        ctx,
+        program = None,
+        program_opts = ["--disable-gems"],
+    )
+
+def _ruby_binary_rules_impl(ctx, program, program_opts=[]):
     sdk = ctx.toolchains[TOOLCHAIN_TYPE_NAME].ruby_runtime
     interpreter = sdk.interpreter[DefaultInfo].files_to_run.executable
 
@@ -29,7 +36,7 @@ def _ruby_binary_impl(ctx):
             "main",
         )
 
-    if sdk.is_host:
+    if sdk.is_host and not program:
         interpreter_file_deps = []
         interpreter_trans_deps = []
     else:
@@ -49,10 +56,18 @@ def _ruby_binary_impl(ctx):
         template = ctx.file._wrapper_template,
         output = intermediate_executable,
         substitutions = {
+            # The ruby interpreter
+            "{interpreter}": _to_manifest_path(ctx, interpreter),
+            # $LOAD_PATH
             "{loadpaths}": repr(deps.incpaths.to_list()),
+            # options for the ruby interpreter
             "{rubyopt}": repr(rubyopt),
+            # program which evaluates the main script. e.g. ruby, erb, or rake
+            "{program}": repr(program) if program else 'nil',
+            # options for the program.
+            "{program_opts}": repr(program_opts),
+            # the main script
             "{main}": repr(_to_manifest_path(ctx, main)),
-            "{interpreter}": _to_manifest_path(ctx, interpreter),
         },
     )
     if sdk.is_host:
diff --git a/ruby/private/binary_wrapper.tpl b/ruby/private/binary_wrapper.tpl
index 765dd7a..8df515e 100644
--- a/ruby/private/binary_wrapper.tpl
+++ b/ruby/private/binary_wrapper.tpl
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #
 
 require 'rbconfig'
+require 'shellwords'
 
 def find_runfiles
   stub_filename = File.absolute_path($0)
@@ -89,13 +90,26 @@ def runfiles_envvar(runfiles)
   end
 end
 
-def find_ruby_binary
+def find_ruby_program
   File.join(
     RbConfig::CONFIG['bindir'],
     RbConfig::CONFIG['ruby_install_name'],
   )
 end
 
+def expand_vars(args)
+  args.map do |arg|
+    arg.gsub(/\${(.+?)}/o) do
+      case $1
+      when 'RUNFILES_DIR'
+        runfiles
+      else
+        ENV[$1]
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 def main(args)
   custom_loadpaths = {loadpaths}
   runfiles = find_runfiles
@@ -108,21 +122,20 @@ def main(args)
   runfiles_envkey, runfiles_envvalue = runfiles_envvar(runfiles)
   ENV[runfiles_envkey] = runfiles_envvalue if runfiles_envkey
 
-  ruby_program = find_ruby_binary
+  program_name = {program}
+  if program_name
+    program = File.join(runfiles, program_name)
+  else
+    program = find_ruby_program
+  end
+  program_opts = expand_vars({program_opts})
 
   main = {main}
   main = File.join(runfiles, main)
-  rubyopt = {rubyopt}.map do |opt|
-    opt.gsub(/\${(.+?)}/o) do
-      case $1
-      when 'RUNFILES_DIR'
-        runfiles
-      else
-        ENV[$1]
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  exec(ruby_program, '--disable-gems', *rubyopt, main, *args)
+  rubyopt = expand_vars({rubyopt})
+  ENV['RUBYOPT'] = Shellwords.join(expand_vars({rubyopt}))
+
+  exec(program, *program_opts, main, *args)
   # TODO(yugui) Support windows
 end
 
diff --git a/ruby/tests/BUILD.bazel b/ruby/tests/BUILD.bazel
index 298b600..6ef7a78 100644
--- a/ruby/tests/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/ruby/tests/BUILD.bazel
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ container_image(
     base = "@ruby_base_container//image",
     entrypoint = ["/app/load_path_in_runfiles"],
     tars = [":load_path_in_runfiles_container_layer"],
+    tags = ["docker"],
 )
 
 sh_test(