diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c
index f62397e79f5..21261244436 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ static ID id_credentials;
  * received by the call and subsequently saved on it. */
 static ID id_metadata;
 
+/* id_trailing_metadata is the name of the attribute used to access the trailing
+ * metadata hash received by the call and subsequently saved on it. */
+static ID id_trailing_metadata;
+
 /* id_status is name of the attribute used to access the status object
  * received by the call and subsequently saved on it. */
 static ID id_status;
@@ -296,6 +300,30 @@ static VALUE grpc_rb_call_set_metadata(VALUE self, VALUE metadata) {
   return rb_ivar_set(self, id_metadata, metadata);
 }
 
+/*
+  call-seq:
+  trailing_metadata = call.trailing_metadata
+
+  Gets the trailing metadata object saved on the call */
+static VALUE grpc_rb_call_get_trailing_metadata(VALUE self) {
+  return rb_ivar_get(self, id_trailing_metadata);
+}
+
+/*
+  call-seq:
+  call.trailing_metadata = trailing_metadata
+
+  Saves the trailing metadata hash on the call. */
+static VALUE grpc_rb_call_set_trailing_metadata(VALUE self, VALUE metadata) {
+  if (!NIL_P(metadata) && TYPE(metadata) != T_HASH) {
+    rb_raise(rb_eTypeError, "bad metadata: got:<%s> want: <Hash>",
+             rb_obj_classname(metadata));
+    return Qnil;
+  }
+
+  return rb_ivar_set(self, id_trailing_metadata, metadata);
+}
+
 /*
   call-seq:
   write_flag = call.write_flag
@@ -908,6 +936,10 @@ void Init_grpc_call() {
   rb_define_method(grpc_rb_cCall, "status=", grpc_rb_call_set_status, 1);
   rb_define_method(grpc_rb_cCall, "metadata", grpc_rb_call_get_metadata, 0);
   rb_define_method(grpc_rb_cCall, "metadata=", grpc_rb_call_set_metadata, 1);
+  rb_define_method(grpc_rb_cCall, "trailing_metadata",
+                   grpc_rb_call_get_trailing_metadata, 0);
+  rb_define_method(grpc_rb_cCall, "trailing_metadata=",
+                   grpc_rb_call_set_trailing_metadata, 1);
   rb_define_method(grpc_rb_cCall, "write_flag", grpc_rb_call_get_write_flag, 0);
   rb_define_method(grpc_rb_cCall, "write_flag=", grpc_rb_call_set_write_flag,
                    1);
@@ -916,6 +948,7 @@ void Init_grpc_call() {
 
   /* Ids used to support call attributes */
   id_metadata = rb_intern("metadata");
+  id_trailing_metadata = rb_intern("trailing_metadata");
   id_status = rb_intern("status");
   id_write_flag = rb_intern("write_flag");
 
diff --git a/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/active_call.rb b/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/active_call.rb
index 6e411a2b941..4260d854376 100644
--- a/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/active_call.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/active_call.rb
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ class Struct
         GRPC.logger.debug("Failing with status #{status}")
         # raise BadStatus, propagating the metadata if present.
         md = status.metadata
-        with_sym_keys = Hash[md.each_pair.collect { |x, y| [x.to_sym, y] }]
-        fail GRPC::BadStatus.new(status.code, status.details, with_sym_keys)
+        fail GRPC::BadStatus.new(status.code, status.details, md)
       end
       status
     end
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ module GRPC
     extend Forwardable
     attr_reader(:deadline)
     def_delegators :@call, :cancel, :metadata, :write_flag, :write_flag=,
-                   :peer, :peer_cert
+                   :peer, :peer_cert, :trailing_metadata
 
     # client_invoke begins a client invocation.
     #
@@ -158,6 +157,9 @@ module GRPC
       ops[RECV_STATUS_ON_CLIENT] = nil if assert_finished
       batch_result = @call.run_batch(ops)
       return unless assert_finished
+      unless batch_result.status.nil?
+        @call.trailing_metadata = batch_result.status.metadata
+      end
       @call.status = batch_result.status
       op_is_done
       batch_result.check_status
@@ -169,11 +171,7 @@ module GRPC
     def finished
       batch_result = @call.run_batch(RECV_STATUS_ON_CLIENT => nil)
       unless batch_result.status.nil?
-        if @call.metadata.nil?
-          @call.metadata = batch_result.status.metadata
-        else
-          @call.metadata.merge!(batch_result.status.metadata)
-        end
+        @call.trailing_metadata = batch_result.status.metadata
       end
       @call.status = batch_result.status
       op_is_done
@@ -467,6 +465,6 @@ module GRPC
     # a Operation on the client.
     Operation = view_class(:cancel, :cancelled?, :deadline, :execute,
                            :metadata, :status, :start_call, :wait, :write_flag,
-                           :write_flag=)
+                           :write_flag=, :trailing_metadata)
   end
 end
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb
index 901c84fc783..31157cf161e 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class FailingService
   def initialize(_default_var = 'ignored')
     @details = 'app error'
     @code = 101
-    @md = { failed_method: 'an_rpc' }
+    @md = { 'failed_method' => 'an_rpc' }
   end
 
   def an_rpc(_req, _call)
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         op = stub.an_rpc(req, return_op: true, metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' })
         expect(op.metadata).to be nil
         expect(op.execute).to be_a(EchoMsg)
-        expect(op.metadata).to eq(wanted_trailers)
+        expect(op.trailing_metadata).to eq(wanted_trailers)
         @srv.stop
         t.join
       end