diff --git a/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/build_artifacts.sh b/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/build_artifacts.sh
index c68b63cc43d7d..a109d45b6166b 100755
--- a/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/build_artifacts.sh
+++ b/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/build_artifacts.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,5 @@ export ARTIFACT_DIR=$(pwd)/artifacts
 # ruby environment
 bash kokoro/release/ruby/macos/ruby/ruby_build_environment.sh
 
-gem install rubygems-update
-update_rubygems
-
 # build artifacts
 bash kokoro/release/ruby/macos/ruby/ruby_build.sh
diff --git a/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/ruby/ruby_build_environment.sh b/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/ruby/ruby_build_environment.sh
index 8d9308d57da82..265b4b0bd10fd 100755
--- a/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/ruby/ruby_build_environment.sh
+++ b/kokoro/release/ruby/macos/ruby/ruby_build_environment.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 set -ex
 
+# Fix permissions
+sudo chown -R $(whoami) $HOME/.rvm/
+sudo chown -R $(whoami) /Library/Ruby/
+
 set +ex  # rvm script is very verbose and exits with errorcode
 source $HOME/.rvm/scripts/rvm
 set -e  # rvm commands are very verbose