diff --git a/package/ruby/ruby.mk b/package/ruby/ruby.mk
index 2188837a36..ea19008f54 100644
--- a/package/ruby/ruby.mk
+++ b/package/ruby/ruby.mk
@@ -15,6 +15,15 @@ HOST_RUBY_CONF_OPT = --disable-install-doc --with-out-ext=curses,readline
 RUBY_LICENSE = Ruby or BSD-2c, BSD-3c, others
 RUBY_LICENSE_FILES = LEGAL COPYING BSDL
 
+RUBY_CFLAGS = $(TARGET_CFLAGS)
+# With some SuperH toolchains (like Sourcery CodeBench 2012.09), ruby fails to
+# build with 'pcrel too far'. This seems to be caused by the -Os option we pass
+# by default. To fix the problem, use standard -O2 optimization instead.
+ifeq ($(BR2_sh)$(BR2_sh64),y)
+RUBY_CFLAGS += -O2
+endif
+RUBY_CONF_ENV = CFLAGS="$(RUBY_CFLAGS)"
+
 # Force optionals to build before we do
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_BERKELEYDB),y)
 	RUBY_DEPENDENCIES += berkeleydb