diff --git a/src/compiler/ruby_generator_string-inl.h b/src/compiler/ruby_generator_string-inl.h
index b697de63d15..b3e19386c80 100644
--- a/src/compiler/ruby_generator_string-inl.h
+++ b/src/compiler/ruby_generator_string-inl.h
@@ -118,10 +118,10 @@ inline std::string RubyPackage(const grpc::protobuf::FileDescriptor* file) {
 // RubyTypeOf updates a proto type to the required ruby equivalent.
 inline std::string RubyTypeOf(const grpc::protobuf::Descriptor* descriptor) {
   std::string proto_type = descriptor->full_name();
-  ReplacePrefix(&proto_type, descriptor->file()->package(),
-                "");                    // remove the leading package if present
-  ReplacePrefix(&proto_type, ".", "");  // remove the leading . (no package)
   if (descriptor->file()->options().has_ruby_package()) {
+    // remove the leading package if present
+    ReplacePrefix(&proto_type, descriptor->file()->package(), "");
+    ReplacePrefix(&proto_type, ".", "");  // remove the leading . (no package)
     proto_type = RubyPackage(descriptor->file()) + "." + proto_type;
   }
   std::string res(proto_type);