diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 10c396a656..ba64e24e7c 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ ruby-runner.c: template/ruby-runner.c.in
 		@./config.status --file=$@:$(srcdir)/template/$(@F).in
 
 ruby-runner$(EXEEXT): ruby-runner.c
-	$(Q) $(PURIFY) $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS) $(OUTFLAG)$@ ruby-runner.c
+	$(Q) $(PURIFY) $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -DRUBY_INSTALL_NAME=$(RUBY_INSTALL_NAME) $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS) $(OUTFLAG)$@ ruby-runner.c
 
 $(RBCONFIG): $($(CROSS_COMPILING:no=)PREP)
 
diff --git a/template/ruby-runner.c.in b/template/ruby-runner.c.in
index 2b285bf540..c4ee2f1ee4 100644
--- a/template/ruby-runner.c.in
+++ b/template/ruby-runner.c.in
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 #define BUILDDIR "@abs_top_builddir@"
 #define LIBPATHENV "@LIBPATHENV@"
 #define PATH_SEP '@PATH_SEPARATOR@'
-#define RUBY_INSTALL_NAME "@RUBY_BASE_NAME@"
+
+#define STRINGIZE(expr) STRINGIZE0(expr)
+#define STRINGIZE0(expr) #expr
 
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
@@ -28,6 +30,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	libpath = builddir;
     }
     setenv(LIBPATHENV, libpath, 1);
-    execv(BUILDDIR"/"RUBY_INSTALL_NAME, argv);
+    execv(BUILDDIR"/"STRINGIZE(RUBY_INSTALL_NAME), argv);
     return -1;
 }