diff --git a/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_rb_generator.cc b/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_rb_generator.cc
index 833dfd3..395bb64 100644
--- a/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_rb_generator.cc
+++ b/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_rb_generator.cc
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
 
 
   std::vector<std::string> ruby_modules(t_program* p) {
-    std::string ns = p->get_ruby_namespace();
+    std::string ns = p->get_namespace("rb");
     boost::tokenizer<> tok(ns);
     std::vector<std::string> modules;
 
diff --git a/compiler/cpp/src/parse/t_program.h b/compiler/cpp/src/parse/t_program.h
index 6dcba86..b544c2f 100644
--- a/compiler/cpp/src/parse/t_program.h
+++ b/compiler/cpp/src/parse/t_program.h
@@ -184,14 +184,6 @@
     return xsd_namespace_;
   }
 
-  void set_ruby_namespace(std::string ruby_namespace) {
-    ruby_namespace_ = ruby_namespace;
-  }
-
-  const std::string& get_ruby_namespace() const {
-    return ruby_namespace_;
-  }
-
   void set_perl_package(std::string perl_package) {
     perl_package_ = perl_package;
   }
@@ -244,9 +236,6 @@
   // XSD namespace
   std::string xsd_namespace_;
 
-  // Ruby namespace
-  std::string ruby_namespace_;
-
   // Perl namespace
   std::string perl_package_;
 
diff --git a/compiler/cpp/src/thrifty.yy b/compiler/cpp/src/thrifty.yy
index 53c6d81..d555f53 100644
--- a/compiler/cpp/src/thrifty.yy
+++ b/compiler/cpp/src/thrifty.yy
@@ -293,11 +293,13 @@
         g_program->set_perl_package($2);
       }
     }
+/* TODO(dreiss): Get rid of this once everyone is using the new hotness. */
 | tok_ruby_namespace tok_identifier
     {
+      pwarning(1, "'ruby_namespace' is deprecated. Use 'namespace rb' instead");
       pdebug("Header -> tok_ruby_namespace tok_identifier");
       if (g_parse_mode == PROGRAM) {
-        g_program->set_ruby_namespace($2);
+        g_program->set_namespace("rb", $2);
       }
     }
 /* TODO(dreiss): Get rid of this once everyone is using the new hotness. */