diff --git a/src/php/bin/determine_extension_dir.sh b/src/php/bin/determine_extension_dir.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000..6bbd934bf1334
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/php/bin/determine_extension_dir.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+set -e
+default_extension_dir=$(php-config --extension-dir)
+if command -v brew >/dev/null && [ -d $(brew --prefix)/opt/grpc-php ]; then
+  # homebrew and the grpc-php formula are installed
+  extension_dir="-d extension_dir="$(brew --prefix)/opt/grpc-php
+elif [ ! -e $default_extension_dir/grpc.so ]; then
+  # the grpc extension is not found in the default PHP extension dir
+  # try the source modules directory
+  module_dir=../ext/grpc/modules
+  if [ ! -e $module_dir/grpc.so ]; then
+    echo "Please run 'phpize && ./configure && make' from ext/grpc first"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  # sym-link in system supplied extensions
+  for f in $default_extension_dir/*.so; do
+    ln -s $f $module_dir/$(basename $f) &> /dev/null || true
+  done
+  extension_dir="-d extension_dir="$module_dir
+fi
diff --git a/src/php/bin/interop_client.sh b/src/php/bin/interop_client.sh
index 4fe63788c152b..42e075cbe88bd 100755
--- a/src/php/bin/interop_client.sh
+++ b/src/php/bin/interop_client.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/sh
+#!/bin/bash
 # Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
 # All rights reserved.
 #
@@ -28,11 +28,8 @@
 # (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
-
-set +e
+set -e
 cd $(dirname $0)
-
-module_dir=../ext/grpc/modules
-
-php -d extension_dir=$module_dir -d extension=grpc.so \
+source ./determine_extension_dir.sh
+php $extension_dir -d extension=grpc.so \
   ../tests/interop/interop_client.php $@ 1>&2
diff --git a/src/php/bin/run_gen_code_test.sh b/src/php/bin/run_gen_code_test.sh
index f86f489dfba08..03a9101a45817 100755
--- a/src/php/bin/run_gen_code_test.sh
+++ b/src/php/bin/run_gen_code_test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Runs the generated code test against the ruby server
+#!/bin/bash
 # Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
 # All rights reserved.
 #
@@ -28,15 +28,11 @@
 # (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
+set -e
 cd $(dirname $0)
-default_extension_dir=`php -i | grep extension_dir | sed 's/.*=> //g'`
-if [ ! -e $default_extension_dir/grpc.so ]
-then
-  extension_dir='-d extension_dir=../ext/grpc/modules/'
-fi
-GRPC_TEST_HOST=localhost:50051 php $extension_dir \
-  -d extension=grpc.so `which phpunit` -v --debug --strict \
+source ./determine_extension_dir.sh
+export GRPC_TEST_HOST=localhost:7071
+php $extension_dir -d extension=grpc.so $(which phpunit) -v --debug --strict \
   ../tests/generated_code/GeneratedCodeTest.php
-GRPC_TEST_HOST=localhost:50051 php $extension_dir \
-  -d extension=grpc.so `which phpunit` -v --debug --strict \
+php $extension_dir -d extension=grpc.so $(which phpunit) -v --debug --strict \
   ../tests/generated_code/GeneratedCodeWithCallbackTest.php
diff --git a/src/php/bin/run_tests.sh b/src/php/bin/run_tests.sh
index dc6f80eee2ea7..4c37285455bdf 100755
--- a/src/php/bin/run_tests.sh
+++ b/src/php/bin/run_tests.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/sh
+#!/bin/bash
 # Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
 # All rights reserved.
 #
@@ -32,29 +32,6 @@
 # against it
 set -e
 cd $(dirname $0)
-default_extension_dir=`php -i | grep extension_dir | sed 's/.*=> //g'`
-
-if [ ! -e $default_extension_dir/grpc.so ]
-then
-  # the grpc extension is not found in the default PHP extension dir
-  # try the source modules directory
-  module_dir=../ext/grpc/modules
-  if [ ! -d $module_dir ]
-  then
-    echo "Please run 'phpize && ./configure && make' from ext/grpc first"
-    exit 1
-  fi
-
-  # sym-link in system supplied extensions
-  for f in $default_extension_dir/*.so
-  do
-    ln -s $f $module_dir/$(basename $f) &> /dev/null || true
-  done
-
-  extension_dir='-d extension_dir='$module_dir
-fi
-
-php \
-  $extension_dir \
-  -d extension=grpc.so \
-  `which phpunit` -v --debug --strict ../tests/unit_tests
+source ./determine_extension_dir.sh
+php $extension_dir -d extension=grpc.so $(which phpunit) -v --debug --strict \
+  ../tests/unit_tests