diff --git a/src/mem/ruby/SConsopts b/src/mem/ruby/SConsopts
index d88a342ed..1f20cfc18 100644
--- a/src/mem/ruby/SConsopts
+++ b/src/mem/ruby/SConsopts
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ Import('*')
 sticky_vars.AddVariables(
     BoolVariable('NO_VECTOR_BOUNDS_CHECKS', "Don't do bounds checks in Ruby",
                  True),
-    ('GEMS_ROOT', "Add debugging stuff to Ruby", Dir('..').srcnode().abspath),
     )
 
-export_vars += [ 'NO_VECTOR_BOUNDS_CHECKS', 'GEMS_ROOT' ]
+export_vars += [ 'NO_VECTOR_BOUNDS_CHECKS' ]