diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/extconf.rb b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/extconf.rb
index 96c92e2be5d..483a31f60cc 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/extconf.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/extconf.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ require 'mkmf'
 LIBDIR = RbConfig::CONFIG['libdir']
 INCLUDEDIR = RbConfig::CONFIG['includedir']
 
+if ENV.key? 'GRPC_ROOT'
+  GRPC_ROOT = ENV['GRPC_ROOT']
+  if ENV.key? 'GRPC_LIB_DIR'
+    GRPC_LIB_DIR = ENV['GRPC_LIB_DIR']
+  else
+    GRPC_LIB_DIR = 'libs/opt'
+  end
+else
+  GRPC_ROOT = nil
+end
+
 HEADER_DIRS = [
   # Search /opt/local (Mac source install)
   '/opt/local/include',
@@ -54,6 +65,11 @@ LIB_DIRS = [
   LIBDIR
 ]
 
+unless GRPC_ROOT.nil?
+  HEADER_DIRS.unshift File.join(GRPC_ROOT, 'include')
+  LIB_DIRS.unshift File.join(GRPC_ROOT, GRPC_LIB_DIR)
+end
+
 def crash(msg)
   print(" extconf failure: #{msg}\n")
   exit 1
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/build_ruby.sh b/tools/run_tests/build_ruby.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..53a69cf0798
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/run_tests/build_ruby.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+set -ex
+
+CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}
+
+# change to grpc repo root
+cd $(dirname $0)/../..
+
+# tells npm install to look for files in that directory
+export GRPC_ROOT=`pwd`
+# tells npm install the subdirectory with library files
+export GRPC_LIB_SUBDIR=libs/$CONFIG
+
+cd src/ruby
+
+bundle install
+rake compile:grpc
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_ruby.sh b/tools/run_tests/run_ruby.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..b82ce52af38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_ruby.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+set -ex
+
+# change to grpc repo root
+cd $(dirname $0)/../../src/ruby
+
+rake
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py b/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
index 4e0ff85c59d..7b87c621ddd 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
@@ -136,6 +136,17 @@ class PythonLanguage(object):
   def build_steps(self):
     return [['tools/run_tests/build_python.sh']]
 
+class RubyLanguage(object):
+
+  def test_specs(self, config, travis):
+    return [config.job_spec('tools/run_tests/run_ruby.sh', None)]
+
+  def make_targets(self):
+    return ['static_c']
+
+  def build_steps(self):
+    return [['tools/run_tests/build_ruby.sh']]
+
 
 # different configurations we can run under
 _CONFIGS = {
@@ -160,6 +171,7 @@ _LANGUAGES = {
     'node': NodeLanguage(),
     'php': PhpLanguage(),
     'python': PythonLanguage(),
+    'ruby': RubyLanguage()
     }
 
 # parse command line