diff --git a/doc/ft-ruby-syntax.txt b/doc/ft-ruby-syntax.txt
index 482ebefc..fdf88a0e 100644
--- a/doc/ft-ruby-syntax.txt
+++ b/doc/ft-ruby-syntax.txt
@@ -61,4 +61,11 @@ the "ruby_minlines" variable to a value larger than 50: >
 Ideally, this value should be a number of lines large enough to embrace your
 largest class or module.
 
+5. Spellchecking strings			*ruby_spellcheck_strings*
+
+Ruby syntax will perform spellchecking of strings if you define "ruby_spellcheck_strings": >
+
+	:let ruby_spellcheck_strings = 1
+<
+
  vim:tw=78:sw=4:ts=8:ft=help:norl:
diff --git a/syntax/ruby.vim b/syntax/ruby.vim
index a570b14c..a2ebecef 100644
--- a/syntax/ruby.vim
+++ b/syntax/ruby.vim
@@ -130,9 +130,14 @@ syn region rubyRegexp matchgroup=rubyRegexpDelimiter start="%r\["				 end="\][io
 syn region rubyRegexp matchgroup=rubyRegexpDelimiter start="%r("				 end=")[iomxneus]*"   skip="\\\\\|\\)"	 contains=@rubyRegexpSpecial fold
 
 " Normal String and Shell Command Output
-syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="\"" end="\"" skip="\\\\\|\\\"" contains=@rubyStringSpecial fold
-syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="'"	end="'"  skip="\\\\\|\\'"  contains=rubyQuoteEscape    fold
-syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="`"	end="`"  skip="\\\\\|\\`"  contains=@rubyStringSpecial fold
+if exists('ruby_spellcheck_strings')
+  syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="\"" end="\"" skip="\\\\\|\\\"" contains=@rubyStringSpecial,@Spell fold
+  syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="'"  end="'"  skip="\\\\\|\\'"  contains=rubyQuoteEscape,@Spell    fold
+else
+  syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="\"" end="\"" skip="\\\\\|\\\"" contains=@rubyStringSpecial fold
+  syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="'"  end="'"  skip="\\\\\|\\'"  contains=rubyQuoteEscape    fold
+endif
+syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="`" end="`" skip="\\\\\|\\`" contains=@rubyStringSpecial fold
 
 " Generalized Single Quoted String, Symbol and Array of Strings
 syn region rubyString matchgroup=rubyStringDelimiter start="%[qwi]\z([~`!@#$%^&*_\-+=|\:;"',.?/]\)" end="\z1" skip="\\\\\|\\\z1" fold