diff --git a/spec/bundler/cache/gems_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/cache/gems_spec.rb
index 780972b9af..b23d475a5f 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/cache/gems_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/cache/gems_spec.rb
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache" do
         expect(cached_gem("platform_specific-1.0-java")).to exist
       end
 
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
 
       simulate_platform "x86-darwin-100" do
         install_gemfile <<-G
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache" do
         rubygems_version: "1.3.2"
 
       FileUtils.rm_r default_bundle_path
-      system_gems :bundler
+      default_system_gems
 
       FileUtils.rm bundled_app_lock
       bundle :install, raise_on_error: false
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache" do
       end
 
       FileUtils.rm_r default_bundle_path
-      system_gems :bundler
+      default_system_gems
 
       lockfile <<-L
         GEM
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache" do
       setup_main_repo
       cached_gem("myrack-1.0.0").rmtree
       build_gem "myrack", "1.0.0", path: bundled_app("vendor/cache")
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
 
       lockfile <<-L
         GEM
diff --git a/spec/bundler/cache/git_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/cache/git_spec.rb
index e9dee60a98..66eaf65dd1 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/cache/git_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/cache/git_spec.rb
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache with git" do
     bundle "config set path vendor/bundle"
     bundle :install
 
-    pristine_system_gems :bundler
+    pristine_system_gems
     with_path_as "" do
       bundle "config set deployment true"
       bundle "install --local"
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache with git" do
     bundle "config set cache_all true"
     bundle :cache, "all-platforms" => true
 
-    pristine_system_gems :bundler
+    pristine_system_gems
     bundle "config set frozen true"
     bundle "install --local --verbose"
     expect(out).to_not include("Fetching")
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache with git" do
     bundle "config set cache_all true"
     bundle :cache, "all-platforms" => true
 
-    pristine_system_gems :bundler
+    pristine_system_gems
     bundle "config set frozen true"
     bundle "install --local --verbose"
     expect(out).to_not include("Fetching")
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache with git" do
     bundle "config set cache_all true"
     bundle :cache, "all-platforms" => true
 
-    pristine_system_gems :bundler
+    pristine_system_gems
     bundle "config set frozen true"
 
     # Remove untracked files (including the empty refs dir in the cache)
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle cache with git" do
     bundle "config set cache_all true"
     bundle :cache, "all-platforms" => true, :install => false
 
-    pristine_system_gems :bundler
+    pristine_system_gems
     with_path_as "" do
       bundle "config set deployment true"
       bundle :install, local: true
diff --git a/spec/bundler/commands/cache_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/commands/cache_spec.rb
index 4365b92b8c..20d817a47d 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/commands/cache_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/commands/cache_spec.rb
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle install with gem sources" do
       G
 
       bundle :cache
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
       FileUtils.rm_r gem_repo2
 
       bundle "install --local"
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle install with gem sources" do
       G
 
       bundle :cache
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
       FileUtils.rm_r gem_repo2
 
       bundle "config set --local deployment true"
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle install with gem sources" do
       G
 
       bundle :cache
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
       FileUtils.rm_r gem_repo2
 
       bundle "config set --local cache_all_platforms true"
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle install with gem sources" do
         bundle :cache
       end
 
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
 
       bundle "config set --local force_ruby_platform true"
 
diff --git a/spec/bundler/commands/check_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/commands/check_spec.rb
index fccaf76170..4793210e97 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/commands/check_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/commands/check_spec.rb
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle check" do
 
     it "shows what is missing with the current Gemfile if it is not satisfied" do
       FileUtils.rm_r default_bundle_path
-      system_gems :bundler
+      default_system_gems
       bundle :check, raise_on_error: false
       expect(err).to match(/The following gems are missing/)
       expect(err).to include("* myrack (1.0")
diff --git a/spec/bundler/commands/outdated_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/commands/outdated_spec.rb
index d3f9dae8c5..b66b8c9e53 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/commands/outdated_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/commands/outdated_spec.rb
@@ -974,7 +974,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle outdated" do
         gem "terranova", '8'
       G
 
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
 
       update_git "foo", path: lib_path("foo")
       update_repo2 do
diff --git a/spec/bundler/install/deploy_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/install/deploy_spec.rb
index 4d378d4941..3560a3965c 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/install/deploy_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/install/deploy_spec.rb
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ RSpec.describe "install in deployment or frozen mode" do
 
   it "still works if you are not in the app directory and specify --gemfile" do
     bundle "install"
-    pristine_system_gems :bundler
+    pristine_system_gems
     bundle "config set --local deployment true"
     bundle "config set --local path vendor/bundle"
     bundle "install --gemfile #{tmp}/bundled_app/Gemfile", dir: tmp
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ RSpec.describe "install in deployment or frozen mode" do
       bundle "install --local"
       expect(out).to include("Updating files in vendor/cache")
 
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
       bundle "config set --local deployment true"
       bundle "install --verbose"
       expect(out).not_to include("can't be updated because frozen mode is set")
diff --git a/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/git_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/git_spec.rb
index 9104af1679..cd83ad71c0 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/git_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/git_spec.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle install with git sources" do
     end
 
     it "caches the git repo globally and properly uses the cached repo on the next invocation" do
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
       bundle "config set global_gem_cache true"
       bundle :install
       expect(Dir["#{home}/.bundle/cache/git/foo-1.0-*"]).to have_attributes size: 1
@@ -1241,7 +1241,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle install with git sources" do
         gem "valim", "= 1.0", :git => "#{lib_path("valim")}"
       G
 
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
 
       bundle "config set --local deployment true"
       bundle :install
@@ -1628,7 +1628,7 @@ In Gemfile:
       G
       bundle "config set --global path vendor/bundle"
       bundle :install
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
 
       bundle "install", env: { "PATH" => "" }
       expect(out).to_not include("You need to install git to be able to use gems from git repositories.")
diff --git a/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/platform_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/platform_spec.rb
index d517c12125..5ed5e66185 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/platform_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/install/gemfile/platform_spec.rb
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ RSpec.describe "bundle install across platforms" do
 
       expect(the_bundle).to include_gems "nokogiri 1.4.2 java", "weakling 0.0.3"
 
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
       bundle "config set --local force_ruby_platform true"
       bundle "install"
 
diff --git a/spec/bundler/install/global_cache_spec.rb b/spec/bundler/install/global_cache_spec.rb
index 884112d621..0a7daf173c 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/install/global_cache_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/install/global_cache_spec.rb
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ RSpec.describe "global gem caching" do
           gem "myrack"
         G
 
-        pristine_system_gems :bundler
+        pristine_system_gems
         expect(the_bundle).not_to include_gems "myrack 1.0.0"
         expect(source_global_cache("myrack-1.0.0.gem")).to exist
         # myrack 1.0.0 is not installed and it is in the global cache
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ RSpec.describe "global gem caching" do
           gem "myrack", "0.9.1"
         G
 
-        pristine_system_gems :bundler
+        pristine_system_gems
         expect(the_bundle).not_to include_gems "myrack 0.9.1"
         expect(source2_global_cache("myrack-0.9.1.gem")).to exist
         # myrack 0.9.1 is not installed and it is in the global cache
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ RSpec.describe "global gem caching" do
         # myrack 1.0.0 is installed and myrack 0.9.1 is not
         expect(the_bundle).to include_gems "myrack 1.0.0"
         expect(the_bundle).not_to include_gems "myrack 0.9.1"
-        pristine_system_gems :bundler
+        pristine_system_gems
 
         gemfile <<-G
           source "#{source2}"
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ RSpec.describe "global gem caching" do
         G
 
         bundle :install, artifice: "compact_index"
-        pristine_system_gems :bundler
+        pristine_system_gems
         expect(the_bundle).not_to include_gems "myrack 1.0.0"
         expect(source_global_cache("myrack-1.0.0.gem")).to exist
         # myrack 1.0.0 is not installed and it is in the global cache
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ RSpec.describe "global gem caching" do
         G
 
         bundle :install, artifice: "compact_index"
-        pristine_system_gems :bundler
+        pristine_system_gems
         expect(the_bundle).not_to include_gems "myrack 0.9.1"
         expect(source2_global_cache("myrack-0.9.1.gem")).to exist
         # myrack 0.9.1 is not installed and it is in the global cache
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ RSpec.describe "global gem caching" do
         expect(the_bundle).to include_gems "activesupport 2.3.5"
         expect(source_global_cache("myrack-1.0.0.gem")).to exist
         expect(source_global_cache("activesupport-2.3.5.gem")).to exist
-        pristine_system_gems :bundler
+        pristine_system_gems
         # Both gems are now only in the global cache
         expect(the_bundle).not_to include_gems "myrack 1.0.0"
         expect(the_bundle).not_to include_gems "activesupport 2.3.5"
diff --git a/spec/bundler/spec_helper.rb b/spec/bundler/spec_helper.rb
index 35b249bb92..87bdf8b9f3 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/spec_helper.rb
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
   end
 
   config.around :each do |example|
-    FileUtils.cp_r pristine_system_gem_path, system_gem_path
+    default_system_gems
 
     with_gem_path_as(system_gem_path) do
       Bundler.ui.silence { example.run }
diff --git a/spec/bundler/support/helpers.rb b/spec/bundler/support/helpers.rb
index 774042bebf..a0d2d2bb23 100644
--- a/spec/bundler/support/helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/bundler/support/helpers.rb
@@ -310,9 +310,10 @@ module Spec
       default = options.fetch(:default, false)
       gems.each do |g|
         gem_name = g.to_s
-        if gem_name.start_with?("bundler")
-          version = gem_name.match(/\Abundler-(?<version>.*)\z/)[:version] if gem_name != "bundler"
-          with_built_bundler(version, released: options.fetch(:released, false)) {|gem_path| install_gem(gem_path, install_dir, default) }
+        bundler = gem_name.match(/\Abundler-(?<version>.*)\z/)
+
+        if bundler
+          with_built_bundler(bundler[:version], released: options.fetch(:released, false)) {|gem_path| install_gem(gem_path, install_dir, default) }
         elsif %r{\A(?:[a-zA-Z]:)?/.*\.gem\z}.match?(gem_name)
           install_gem(gem_name, install_dir, default)
         else
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ module Spec
     def self.install_dev_bundler
       extend self
 
-      system_gems :bundler, path: pristine_system_gem_path
+      with_built_bundler {|gem_path| install_gem(gem_path, pristine_system_gem_path) }
     end
 
     def install_gem(path, install_dir, default = false)
@@ -395,7 +396,11 @@ module Spec
     def pristine_system_gems(*gems)
       FileUtils.rm_r(system_gem_path)
 
-      system_gems(*gems)
+      if gems.any?
+        system_gems(*gems)
+      else
+        default_system_gems
+      end
     end
 
     def cache_gems(*gems, gem_repo: gem_repo1)
@@ -412,7 +417,11 @@ module Spec
 
     def simulate_new_machine
       FileUtils.rm_r bundled_app(".bundle")
-      pristine_system_gems :bundler
+      pristine_system_gems
+    end
+
+    def default_system_gems
+      FileUtils.cp_r pristine_system_gem_path, system_gem_path
     end
 
     def simulate_ruby_platform(ruby_platform)