diff --git a/rb/lib/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver.rb b/rb/lib/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver.rb
index 89ae71df092be..836e97f482163 100644
--- a/rb/lib/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver.rb
+++ b/rb/lib/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver.rb
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def create_capabilities(opts)
           end
 
           options = options.as_json
-          caps.merge!(options) unless options.empty?
+          caps.merge!(options) unless options[Options::KEY].empty?
 
           caps[:proxy] = opts.delete(:proxy) if opts.key?(:proxy)
           caps[:proxy] ||= opts.delete('proxy') if opts.key?('proxy')
diff --git a/rb/spec/unit/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver_spec.rb b/rb/spec/unit/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver_spec.rb
index 0196e4cf9973f..1aa2b27b2650c 100644
--- a/rb/spec/unit/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver_spec.rb
+++ b/rb/spec/unit/selenium/webdriver/chrome/driver_spec.rb
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ module Chrome
         it 'does not set the chrome.detach capability by default' do
           Driver.new(http_client: http)
 
-          expect(caps['goog:chromeOptions']).to eq({})
           expect(caps['chrome.detach']).to be nil
         end
 
@@ -111,6 +110,17 @@ module Chrome
           Driver.new(http_client: http, desired_capabilities: custom_caps, args: %w[baz])
         end
 
+        it 'does not merge empty options' do
+          custom_caps = Remote::Capabilities.new('goog:chromeOptions' => {args: %w[foo bar]})
+
+          expect(http).to receive(:call) do |_, _, payload|
+            expect(payload[:desiredCapabilities]['goog:chromeOptions'][:args]).to eq(%w[foo bar])
+            resp
+          end
+
+          Driver.new(http_client: http, desired_capabilities: custom_caps)
+        end
+
         it 'handshakes protocol' do
           expect(Remote::Bridge).to receive(:handshake)
           Driver.new(http_client: http)