diff --git a/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_desc.rb b/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_desc.rb
index 5dc9202f2e81f83e54fba45c62cc6f18e378ad3c..913f55d0d3ba56552ba712261fb32d2e7e12ce68 100644
--- a/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_desc.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_desc.rb
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ module GRPC
     def send_status(active_client, code, details, metadata = {})
       details = 'Not sure why' if details.nil?
       GRPC.logger.debug("Sending status  #{code}:#{details}")
-      active_client.send_status(code, details, code == OK, metadata)
+      active_client.send_status(code, details, code == OK, metadata: metadata)
     rescue StandardError => e
       GRPC.logger.warn("Could not send status #{code}:#{details}")
       GRPC.logger.warn(e)
diff --git a/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_server.rb b/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_server.rb
index 58976ba851fb79e8a3de6e6e967cffbe82c676e9..6b0b4ce557dd3ff12aa056b02d9db52be417121d 100644
--- a/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_server.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/lib/grpc/generic/rpc_server.rb
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ module GRPC
       # running_state can take 4 values: :not_started, :running, :stopping, and
       # :stopped. State transitions can only proceed in that order.
       @running_state = :not_started
-      @server = Core::Server.new(cq, server_args)
+      @server = Core::Server.new(@cq, server_args)
     end
 
     # stops a running server
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/generic/active_call_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/generic/active_call_spec.rb
index 7bbb35ad3ae27abb8a643d2d15404d771192ed0a..d9c9780c93b3ba7d94f7b70f0d4606a5d805d27a 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/generic/active_call_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/generic/active_call_spec.rb
@@ -161,8 +161,8 @@ describe GRPC::ActiveCall do
   describe '#client_invoke' do
     it 'sends metadata to the server when present' do
       call = make_test_call
-      ActiveCall.client_invoke(call, @client_queue,
-                               metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' })
+      metadata = { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' }
+      ActiveCall.client_invoke(call, @client_queue, metadata)
       recvd_rpc =  @server.request_call(@server_queue, @server_tag, deadline)
       recvd_call = recvd_rpc.call
       expect(recvd_call).to_not be_nil
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb
index 848bae9ea0ddb6c73b8b4682e92e1531d6d4da14..168e7fb7919978cc403b7bc3ab6285b028fbe59e 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ describe 'ClientStub' do
         server_port = create_test_server
         host = "localhost:#{server_port}"
         th = run_request_response(@sent_msg, @resp, @pass,
-                                  metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' })
+                                  k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2')
         stub = GRPC::ClientStub.new(host, @cq, :this_channel_is_insecure)
         expect(get_response(stub)).to eq(@resp)
         th.join
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ describe 'ClientStub' do
         server_port = create_test_server
         host = "localhost:#{server_port}"
         @stub = GRPC::ClientStub.new(host, @cq, :this_channel_is_insecure)
-        @options = { metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' } }
+        @metadata = { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' }
         @sent_msgs = Array.new(3) { |i| 'msg_' + (i + 1).to_s }
         @resp = 'a_reply'
       end
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ describe 'ClientStub' do
       end
 
       it 'should send metadata to the server ok' do
-        th = run_client_streamer(@sent_msgs, @resp, @pass, **@options)
+        th = run_client_streamer(@sent_msgs, @resp, @pass, **@metadata)
         expect(get_response(@stub)).to eq(@resp)
         th.join
       end
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ describe 'ClientStub' do
       end
 
       it 'should raise ArgumentError if metadata contains invalid values' do
-        @options.merge!(k3: 3)
+        @metadata.merge!(k3: 3)
         expect do
           get_response(@stub)
         end.to raise_error(ArgumentError,
@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ describe 'ClientStub' do
 
     describe 'without a call operation' do
       def get_response(stub)
-        stub.client_streamer(@method, @sent_msgs, noop, noop, **@options)
+        stub.client_streamer(@method, @sent_msgs, noop, noop,
+                             metadata: @metadata)
       end
 
       it_behaves_like 'client streaming'
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@ describe 'ClientStub' do
     describe 'via a call operation' do
       def get_response(stub)
         op = stub.client_streamer(@method, @sent_msgs, noop, noop,
-                                  return_op: true, **@options)
+                                  return_op: true, metadata: @metadata)
         expect(op).to be_a(GRPC::ActiveCall::Operation)
         op.execute
       end
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ describe 'ClientStub' do
     describe 'without a call operation' do
       def get_responses(stub)
         e = stub.server_streamer(@method, @sent_msg, noop, noop,
-                                 k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2')
+                                 metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' })
         expect(e).to be_a(Enumerator)
         e
       end
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_desc_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_desc_spec.rb
index 5f9ca2579aa49a85e567949d72298dcf1087bee0..d2080b7ca2d8b8721f57ce6d4a7520387246854e 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_desc_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_desc_spec.rb
@@ -56,14 +56,14 @@ describe GRPC::RpcDesc do
     it 'sends the specified status if BadStatus is raised' do
       expect(@call).to receive(:remote_read).once.and_return(Object.new)
       expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(@bs_code, 'NOK', false,
-                                                       {})
+                                                       metadata: {})
       this_desc.run_server_method(@call, method(:bad_status))
     end
 
     it 'sends status UNKNOWN if other StandardErrors are raised' do
       expect(@call).to receive(:remote_read).once.and_return(Object.new)
       expect(@call).to receive(:send_status) .once.with(UNKNOWN, @no_reason,
-                                                        false, {})
+                                                        false, metadata: {})
       this_desc.run_server_method(@call, method(:other_error))
     end
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcDesc do
         expect(@call).to receive(:remote_send).once.with(@ok_response)
         expect(@call).to receive(:output_metadata).and_return(fake_md)
         expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(OK, 'OK', true,
-                                                         fake_md)
+                                                         metadata: fake_md)
         this_desc.run_server_method(@call, method(:fake_reqresp))
       end
     end
@@ -106,13 +106,13 @@ describe GRPC::RpcDesc do
 
       it 'sends the specified status if BadStatus is raised' do
         expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(@bs_code, 'NOK', false,
-                                                         {})
+                                                         metadata: {})
         @client_streamer.run_server_method(@call, method(:bad_status_alt))
       end
 
       it 'sends status UNKNOWN if other StandardErrors are raised' do
-        expect(@call).to receive(:send_status) .once.with(UNKNOWN, @no_reason,
-                                                          false, {})
+        expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(UNKNOWN, @no_reason,
+                                                         false, metadata: {})
         @client_streamer.run_server_method(@call, method(:other_error_alt))
       end
 
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcDesc do
         expect(@call).to receive(:remote_send).once.with(@ok_response)
         expect(@call).to receive(:output_metadata).and_return(fake_md)
         expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(OK, 'OK', true,
-                                                         fake_md)
+                                                         metadata: fake_md)
         @client_streamer.run_server_method(@call, method(:fake_clstream))
       end
     end
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcDesc do
         expect(@call).to receive(:remote_send).twice.with(@ok_response)
         expect(@call).to receive(:output_metadata).and_return(fake_md)
         expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(OK, 'OK', true,
-                                                         fake_md)
+                                                         metadata: fake_md)
         @server_streamer.run_server_method(@call, method(:fake_svstream))
       end
     end
@@ -165,14 +165,14 @@ describe GRPC::RpcDesc do
         e = GRPC::BadStatus.new(@bs_code, 'NOK')
         expect(@call).to receive(:run_server_bidi).and_raise(e)
         expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(@bs_code, 'NOK', false,
-                                                         {})
+                                                         metadata: {})
         @bidi_streamer.run_server_method(@call, method(:bad_status_alt))
       end
 
       it 'sends status UNKNOWN if other StandardErrors are raised' do
         expect(@call).to receive(:run_server_bidi).and_raise(StandardError)
         expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(UNKNOWN, @no_reason,
-                                                         false, {})
+                                                         false, metadata: {})
         @bidi_streamer.run_server_method(@call, method(:other_error_alt))
       end
 
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcDesc do
         expect(@call).to receive(:run_server_bidi)
         expect(@call).to receive(:output_metadata).and_return(fake_md)
         expect(@call).to receive(:send_status).once.with(OK, 'OK', true,
-                                                         fake_md)
+                                                         metadata: fake_md)
         @bidi_streamer.run_server_method(@call, method(:fake_bidistream))
       end
     end
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb
index b969f0c2c485ac3d6891205bc4544d85c6721bfa..943502cea2313a6e92972b7dafdc0bfdd93a4118 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/generic/rpc_server_spec.rb
@@ -148,14 +148,6 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
       expect(&blk).not_to raise_error
     end
 
-    it 'can be created with a default deadline' do
-      opts = { server_args: { a_channel_arg: 'an_arg' }, deadline: 5 }
-      blk = proc do
-        RpcServer.new(**opts)
-      end
-      expect(&blk).not_to raise_error
-    end
-
     it 'can be created with a completion queue override' do
       opts = {
         server_args: { a_channel_arg: 'an_arg' },
@@ -194,7 +186,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
     before(:each) do
       opts = { server_args: { a_channel_arg: 'an_arg' }, poll_period: 1.5 }
       @srv = RpcServer.new(**opts)
-      @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+      @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
     end
 
     it 'starts out false' do
@@ -235,7 +227,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         poll_period: 2
       }
       r = RpcServer.new(**opts)
-      r.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+      r.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
       expect { r.run }.to raise_error(RuntimeError)
     end
 
@@ -245,7 +237,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         poll_period: 2.5
       }
       r = RpcServer.new(**opts)
-      r.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+      r.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
       r.handle(EchoService)
       t = Thread.new { r.run }
       r.wait_till_running
@@ -257,9 +249,9 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
 
   describe '#handle' do
     before(:each) do
-      @opts = { a_channel_arg: 'an_arg', poll_period: 1 }
+      @opts = { server_args: { a_channel_arg: 'an_arg' }, poll_period: 1 }
       @srv = RpcServer.new(**@opts)
-      @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+      @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
     end
 
     it 'raises if #run has already been called' do
@@ -306,7 +298,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
           poll_period: 1
         }
         @srv = RpcServer.new(**server_opts)
-        server_port = @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+        server_port = @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
         @host = "localhost:#{server_port}"
         @ch = GRPC::Core::Channel.new(@host, nil, :this_channel_is_insecure)
       end
@@ -365,7 +357,8 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         @srv.wait_till_running
         req = EchoMsg.new
         stub = EchoStub.new(@host, :this_channel_is_insecure, **client_opts)
-        expect(stub.an_rpc(req, k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2')).to be_a(EchoMsg)
+        expect(stub.an_rpc(req, metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' }))
+          .to be_a(EchoMsg)
         wanted_md = [{ 'k1' => 'v1', 'k2' => 'v2' }]
         check_md(wanted_md, service.received_md)
         @srv.stop
@@ -379,8 +372,11 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         @srv.wait_till_running
         req = EchoMsg.new
         stub = SlowStub.new(@host, :this_channel_is_insecure, **client_opts)
-        timeout = service.delay + 1.0 # wait for long enough
-        resp = stub.an_rpc(req, timeout: timeout, k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2')
+        timeout = service.delay + 1.0
+        deadline = GRPC::Core::TimeConsts.from_relative_time(timeout)
+        resp = stub.an_rpc(req,
+                           deadline: deadline,
+                           metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' })
         expect(resp).to be_a(EchoMsg)
         wanted_md = [{ 'k1' => 'v1', 'k2' => 'v2' }]
         check_md(wanted_md, service.received_md)
@@ -395,7 +391,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         @srv.wait_till_running
         req = EchoMsg.new
         stub = SlowStub.new(@host, :this_channel_is_insecure, **client_opts)
-        op = stub.an_rpc(req, k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2', return_op: true)
+        op = stub.an_rpc(req, metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' }, return_op: true)
         Thread.new do  # cancel the call
           sleep 0.1
           op.cancel
@@ -425,8 +421,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
 
       it 'should return RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED on too many jobs', server: true do
         opts = {
-          a_channel_arg: 'an_arg',
-          server_override: @server,
+          server_args: { a_channel_arg: 'an_arg' },
           completion_queue_override: @server_queue,
           pool_size: 1,
           poll_period: 1,
@@ -434,6 +429,8 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         }
         alt_srv = RpcServer.new(**opts)
         alt_srv.handle(SlowService)
+        alt_port = alt_srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+        alt_host = "0.0.0.0:#{alt_port}"
         t = Thread.new { alt_srv.run }
         alt_srv.wait_till_running
         req = EchoMsg.new
@@ -442,7 +439,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         one_failed_as_unavailable = false
         n.times do
           threads << Thread.new do
-            stub = SlowStub.new(@host, :this_channel_is_insecure, **client_opts)
+            stub = SlowStub.new(alt_host, :this_channel_is_insecure)
             begin
               stub.an_rpc(req)
             rescue GRPC::BadStatus => e
@@ -469,12 +466,13 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
       end
       before(:each) do
         server_opts = {
-          server_override: @server,
           completion_queue_override: @server_queue,
           poll_period: 1,
           connect_md_proc: test_md_proc
         }
         @srv = RpcServer.new(**server_opts)
+        alt_port = @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+        @alt_host = "0.0.0.0:#{alt_port}"
       end
 
       it 'should send connect metadata to the client', server: true do
@@ -483,8 +481,8 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         t = Thread.new { @srv.run }
         @srv.wait_till_running
         req = EchoMsg.new
-        stub = EchoStub.new(@host, :this_channel_is_insecure, **client_opts)
-        op = stub.an_rpc(req, k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2', return_op: true)
+        stub = EchoStub.new(@alt_host, :this_channel_is_insecure)
+        op = stub.an_rpc(req, metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' }, return_op: true)
         expect(op.metadata).to be nil
         expect(op.execute).to be_a(EchoMsg)
         wanted_md = {
@@ -504,11 +502,12 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
     context 'with trailing metadata' do
       before(:each) do
         server_opts = {
-          server_override: @server,
           completion_queue_override: @server_queue,
           poll_period: 1
         }
         @srv = RpcServer.new(**server_opts)
+        alt_port = @srv.add_http2_port('0.0.0.0:0', :this_port_is_insecure)
+        @alt_host = "0.0.0.0:#{alt_port}"
       end
 
       it 'should be added to BadStatus when requests fail', server: true do
@@ -517,7 +516,7 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         t = Thread.new { @srv.run }
         @srv.wait_till_running
         req = EchoMsg.new
-        stub = FailingStub.new(@host, :this_channel_is_insecure, **client_opts)
+        stub = FailingStub.new(@alt_host, :this_channel_is_insecure)
         blk = proc { stub.an_rpc(req) }
 
         # confirm it raise the expected error
@@ -542,8 +541,8 @@ describe GRPC::RpcServer do
         t = Thread.new { @srv.run }
         @srv.wait_till_running
         req = EchoMsg.new
-        stub = EchoStub.new(@host, :this_channel_is_insecure, **client_opts)
-        op = stub.an_rpc(req, k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2', return_op: true)
+        stub = EchoStub.new(@alt_host, :this_channel_is_insecure)
+        op = stub.an_rpc(req, return_op: true, metadata: { k1: 'v1', k2: 'v2' })
         expect(op.metadata).to be nil
         expect(op.execute).to be_a(EchoMsg)
         expect(op.metadata).to eq(wanted_trailers)
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/pb/health/checker_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/pb/health/checker_spec.rb
index 5523347f45c7db4206d2ea16e10c81656e1f5b1f..f3d121a31ef1b8ac8c5852bec67d5902b1656da5 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/pb/health/checker_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/pb/health/checker_spec.rb
@@ -170,17 +170,15 @@ describe Grpc::Health::Checker do
     before(:each) do
       @server_queue = GRPC::Core::CompletionQueue.new
       server_host = '0.0.0.0:0'
-      @server = GRPC::Core::Server.new(@server_queue, nil)
-      server_port = @server.add_http2_port(server_host, :this_port_is_insecure)
-      @host = "localhost:#{server_port}"
-      @ch = GRPC::Core::Channel.new(@host, nil, :this_channel_is_insecure)
       @client_opts = { channel_override: @ch }
       server_opts = {
-        server_override: @server,
         completion_queue_override: @server_queue,
         poll_period: 1
       }
       @srv = RpcServer.new(**server_opts)
+      server_port = @srv.add_http2_port(server_host, :this_port_is_insecure)
+      @host = "localhost:#{server_port}"
+      @ch = GRPC::Core::Channel.new(@host, nil, :this_channel_is_insecure)
     end
 
     after(:each) do