diff --git a/Mk/Uses/gem.mk b/Mk/Uses/gem.mk
--- a/Mk/Uses/gem.mk
+++ b/Mk/Uses/gem.mk
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 .    endif
 .  endfor

+# "USES=gem" implies "USES=ruby"
+.include "${USESDIR}/ruby.mk"
+
 PKGNAMEPREFIX?=	rubygem-
 EXTRACT_SUFX=	.gem
 EXTRACT_ONLY=
diff --git a/Mk/bsd.ruby.mk b/Mk/Uses/ruby.mk
rename from Mk/bsd.ruby.mk
rename to Mk/Uses/ruby.mk
--- a/Mk/bsd.ruby.mk
+++ b/Mk/Uses/ruby.mk
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
-# bsd.ruby.mk - Utility definitions for Ruby related ports.
+# Provide support for Ruby releated ports.
 #
-
-.if !defined(Ruby_Include)
-
-Ruby_Include=			bsd.ruby.mk
-Ruby_Include_MAINTAINER=	ruby@FreeBSD.org
-
+# Feature:		ruby
+# Usage:		USES=ruby[:args,..]
+# Valid ARGS:		build, extconf, run, setup
+# ARGS description:
+# build			Says that ruby is required only for build time.
+# extconf		Says that the port uses extconf.rb to configure.
+# none			Says that no dependency is added to the port.
+#			Intended to be used with lang/ruby*.
+# run			Says that ruby is required only for run time.
+# setup			Says that the port uses setup.rb to configure and
+#			build.
 #
 # [variables that a user may define]
 #
@@ -23,20 +28,12 @@
 #			  RUBY_SITELIBDIR, and RUBY_SITEARCHLIBDIR.
 # RUBY_VER		- Set to the alternative short version of ruby in the
 #			  form of `x.y' (see below for current value).
-# USE_RUBY		- Says that the port uses ruby for building and running.
-# RUBY_NO_BUILD_DEPENDS	- Says that the port should not build-depend on ruby.
-# RUBY_NO_RUN_DEPENDS	- Says that the port should not run-depend on ruby.
-# USE_RUBY_EXTCONF	- Says that the port uses extconf.rb to configure.
-#			  Implies USE_RUBY.
 # RUBY_EXTCONF		- Set to the alternative name of extconf.rb
 #			  (default: extconf.rb).
 # RUBY_EXTCONF_SUBDIRS	- Set to list of subdirectories, if multiple modules
 #			  are included.
-# USE_RUBY_SETUP	- Says that the port uses setup.rb to configure and
-#			  build.
 # RUBY_SETUP		- Set to the alternative name of setup.rb
 #			  (default: setup.rb).
-# USE_RUBYGEMS		- Do not use this -- instead USES=gem
 #
 # [variables that each port should not (re)define]
 #
@@ -93,6 +90,25 @@
 # RUBY_MODDOCDIR	- Installation path for the module's documents.
 # RUBY_MODEXAMPLESDIR	- Installation path for the module's examples.
 #
+# MAINTAINER:		ruby@FreeBSD.org
+
+.if !defined(_INCLUDE_USES_RUBY_MK)
+_INCLUDE_USES_RUBY_MK=	yes
+
+_valid_ARGS=		build extconf none run setup
+
+# "USES=gem" implies "USES=ruby"
+.  if defined(_INCLUDE_USES_GEM_MK)
+ruby_ARGS=
+.  endif
+
+# Sanity check
+.  for arg in ${ruby_ARGS}
+.    if empty(_valid_ARGS:M${arg})
+IGNORE= Incorrect 'USES+= ruby:${ruby_ARGS}' usage: argument [${arg}] is not recognized
+.    endif
+.  endfor
+

 .  if defined(RUBY_DEFAULT_VER)
 WARNING+=	"RUBY_DEFAULT_VER is defined, consider using DEFAULT_VERSIONS=ruby=${RUBY_DEFAULT_VER} instead"
@@ -282,8 +298,7 @@
 #
 # extconf.rb support
 #
-.    if defined(USE_RUBY_EXTCONF)
-USE_RUBY=		yes
+.    if ${ruby_ARGS:Mextconf}

 RUBY_EXTCONF?=		extconf.rb
 CONFIGURE_ARGS+=	--with-opt-dir="${LOCALBASE}"
@@ -308,7 +323,7 @@
 #
 # setup.rb support
 #
-.    if defined(USE_RUBY_SETUP)
+.    if ${ruby_ARGS:Msetup}
 RUBY_SETUP?=		setup.rb

 do-configure:	ruby-setup-configure
@@ -333,15 +348,17 @@
 	${SETENV} ${MAKE_ENV} ${RUBY} ${RUBY_FLAGS} ${RUBY_SETUP} install --prefix=${STAGEDIR}
 .    endif

-.    if defined(USE_RUBY)
-.      if !defined(RUBY_NO_BUILD_DEPENDS)
+.    if !${ruby_ARGS:Mbuild} && !${ruby_ARGS:Mrun} && !${ruby_ARGS:Mnone}
 EXTRACT_DEPENDS+=	${DEPEND_RUBY}
 PATCH_DEPENDS+=		${DEPEND_RUBY}
 BUILD_DEPENDS+=		${DEPEND_RUBY}
-.      endif
-.      if !defined(RUBY_NO_RUN_DEPENDS)
 RUN_DEPENDS+=		${DEPEND_RUBY}
-.      endif
+.    elif ${ruby_ARGS:Mbuild}
+EXTRACT_DEPENDS+=	${DEPEND_RUBY}
+PATCH_DEPENDS+=		${DEPEND_RUBY}
+BUILD_DEPENDS+=		${DEPEND_RUBY}
+.    elif ${ruby_ARGS:Mrun}
+RUN_DEPENDS+=		${DEPEND_RUBY}
 .    endif

 .  endif # _INVALID_RUBY_VER
diff --git a/Mk/bsd.port.mk b/Mk/bsd.port.mk
--- a/Mk/bsd.port.mk
+++ b/Mk/bsd.port.mk
@@ -371,9 +371,6 @@
 # USE_OCAML		- If set, this port relies on the OCaml language.
 #				  Implies inclusion of bsd.ocaml.mk.  (Also see
 #				  that file for more information on USE_OCAML*).
-# USE_RUBY		- If set, this port relies on the Ruby language.
-#				  Implies inclusion of bsd.ruby.mk.  (Also see
-#				  that file for more information on USE_RUBY_*).
 ##
 # USE_GECKO		- If set, this port uses the Gecko/Mozilla product.
 #				  See bsd.gecko.mk for more details.
@@ -1386,10 +1383,6 @@
 .include "${PORTSDIR}/Mk/bsd.java.mk"
 .    endif

-.    if defined(USE_RUBY)
-.include "${PORTSDIR}/Mk/bsd.ruby.mk"
-.    endif
-
 .    if defined(USE_OCAML)
 .include "${PORTSDIR}/Mk/bsd.ocaml.mk"
 .    endif
@@ -1635,8 +1628,7 @@
 				DISABLE_LICENSES="${DISABLE_LICENSES:Dyes}" \
 				PORTNAME=${PORTNAME} \
 				NO_ARCH=${NO_ARCH} \
-				"NO_ARCH_IGNORE=${NO_ARCH_IGNORE}" \
-				USE_RUBY=${USE_RUBY}
+				"NO_ARCH_IGNORE=${NO_ARCH_IGNORE}"
 .    if !empty(USES:Mssl)
 QA_ENV+=		USESSSL=yes
 .    endif
diff --git a/Mk/bsd.sanity.mk b/Mk/bsd.sanity.mk
--- a/Mk/bsd.sanity.mk
+++ b/Mk/bsd.sanity.mk
@@ -161,6 +161,10 @@
 DEV_ERROR+=	"USE_FPC=yes is no longer supported, please use USES=fpc"
 .endif

+.if ! empty(USES:Mruby) && ! empty(USES:Mgem)
+DEV_ERROR=	"'USES=gem' implies 'USES=ruby'. You should not specify both of them"
+.endif
+
 .for _type in EXAMPLES DOCS
 .  if defined(PORT${_type}) && empty(_REALLY_ALL_POSSIBLE_OPTIONS:M${_type})
 DEV_ERROR+=	"PORT${_type} does not do anything unless the ${_type} option is present."
@@ -203,7 +207,9 @@
 		INSTALLS_EGGINFO USE_DOS2UNIX NO_STAGE USE_RUBYGEMS USE_GHOSTSCRIPT \
 		USE_GHOSTSCRIPT_BUILD USE_GHOSTSCRIPT_RUN USE_AUTOTOOLS APACHE_PORT \
 		USE_FPC_RUN WANT_FPC_BASE WANT_FPC_ALL USE_QT4 USE_QT5 QT_NONSTANDARD \
-		XORG_CAT CARGO_USE_GITHUB CARGO_USE_GITLAB CARGO_GIT_SUBDIR
+		XORG_CAT CARGO_USE_GITHUB CARGO_USE_GITLAB CARGO_GIT_SUBDIR \
+		USE_RUBY USE_RUBY_EXTCONF USE_RUBY_SETUP RUBY_NO_BUILD_DEPENDS \
+		RUBY_NO_RUN_DEPENDS
 SANITY_DEPRECATED=	MLINKS \
 			USE_MYSQL WANT_MYSQL_VER \
 			PYDISTUTILS_INSTALLNOSINGLE \
@@ -294,6 +300,11 @@
 CARGO_USE_GITHUB_ALT=	CARGO_CRATES \(regenerate it with make cargo-crates\)
 CARGO_USE_GITLAB_ALT=	CARGO_CRATES \(regenerate it with make cargo-crates\)
 CARGO_GIT_SUBDIR_ALT=	CARGO_CRATES \(regenerate it with make cargo-crates\)
+USE_RUBY_ALT=		USES=ruby
+USE_RUBY_EXTCONF_ALT=	USES=ruby:extconf
+USE_RUBY_SETUP_ALT=	USES=ruby:setup
+RUBY_NO_BUILD_DEPENDS_ALT=	USES=ruby:run
+RUBY_NO_RUN_DEPENDS_ALT=	USES=ruby:build

 .for a in ${SANITY_DEPRECATED}
 .  if defined(${a})