diff --git a/modules/gmake2/gmake2_cpp.lua b/modules/gmake2/gmake2_cpp.lua
index 76599ce9f6..21653c376c 100644
--- a/modules/gmake2/gmake2_cpp.lua
+++ b/modules/gmake2/gmake2_cpp.lua
@@ -237,6 +237,26 @@
 		cpp.addRuleFile(cfg, node)
 	end
 
+	function cpp.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, cfg)
+		for _, prop in ipairs(rule.propertydefinition) do
+			local fld = p.rule.getPropertyField(rule, prop)
+			local value = cfg[fld.name]
+			if value ~= nil then
+
+				if fld.kind == "path" then
+					value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
+				elseif fld.kind == "list:path" then
+					value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
+				end
+
+				value = p.rule.expandString(rule, prop, value)
+				if value ~= nil and #value > 0 then
+					environ[prop.name] = p.esc(value)
+				end
+			end
+		end
+	end
+
 	function cpp.addRuleFile(cfg, node)
 		local rules = cfg.project._gmake.rules
 		local rule = rules[path.getextension(node.abspath):lower()]
@@ -246,7 +266,8 @@
 			local environ = table.shallowcopy(filecfg.environ)
 
 			if rule.propertydefinition then
-				p.rule.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, "$(%s)")
+				cpp.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, cfg)
+				cpp.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, filecfg)
 			end
 
 			local shadowContext = p.context.extent(rule, environ)
@@ -298,7 +319,6 @@
 			cpp.linkCmd,
 			cpp.bindirs,
 			cpp.exepaths,
-			cpp.ruleProperties,
 			gmake2.settings,
 			gmake2.preBuildCmds,
 			gmake2.preLinkCmds,
@@ -491,29 +511,6 @@
 	end
 
 
-	function cpp.ruleProperties(cfg, toolset)
-		for i = 1, #cfg.rules do
-			local rule = p.global.getRule(cfg.rules[i])
-
-			for prop in p.rule.eachProperty(rule) do
-				local fld = p.rule.getPropertyField(rule, prop)
-				local value = cfg[fld.name]
-				if value ~= nil then
-					if fld.kind == "path" then
-						value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
-					elseif fld.kind == "list:path" then
-						value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
-					end
-
-					value = p.rule.expandString(rule, prop, value)
-					if value ~= nil and #value > 0 then
-						p.outln(prop.name .. ' = ' .. p.esc(value))
-					end
-				end
-			end
-		end
-	end
-
 --
 -- Write out the per file configurations.
 --
diff --git a/modules/gmake2/gmake2_utility.lua b/modules/gmake2/gmake2_utility.lua
index 8cf430cb64..1ef65fcfc4 100644
--- a/modules/gmake2/gmake2_utility.lua
+++ b/modules/gmake2/gmake2_utility.lua
@@ -165,6 +165,26 @@
 	end
 
 
+	function utility.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, cfg)
+		for _, prop in ipairs(rule.propertydefinition) do
+			local fld = p.rule.getPropertyField(rule, prop)
+			local value = cfg[fld.name]
+			if value ~= nil then
+
+				if fld.kind == "path" then
+					value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
+				elseif fld.kind == "list:path" then
+					value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
+				end
+
+				value = p.rule.expandString(rule, prop, value)
+				if value ~= nil and #value > 0 then
+					environ[prop.name] = p.esc(value)
+				end
+			end
+		end
+	end
+
 	function utility.addRuleFile(cfg, node)
 		local rules = cfg.project._gmake.rules
 		local rule = rules[path.getextension(node.abspath):lower()]
@@ -174,7 +194,8 @@
 			local environ = table.shallowcopy(filecfg.environ)
 
 			if rule.propertydefinition then
-				p.rule.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, "$(%s)")
+				utility.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, cfg)
+				utility.prepareEnvironment(rule, environ, filecfg)
 			end
 
 			local shadowContext = p.context.extent(rule, environ)
@@ -209,7 +230,6 @@
 
 	utility.elements.configuration = function(cfg)
 		return {
-			utility.ruleProperties,
 			gmake2.settings,
 			gmake2.preBuildCmds,
 			gmake2.preLinkCmds,
@@ -218,30 +238,6 @@
 	end
 
 
-	function utility.ruleProperties(cfg, toolset)
-		for i = 1, #cfg.rules do
-			local rule = p.global.getRule(cfg.rules[i])
-
-			for prop in p.rule.eachProperty(rule) do
-				local fld = p.rule.getPropertyField(rule, prop)
-				local value = cfg[fld.name]
-				if value ~= nil then
-					if fld.kind == "path" then
-						value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
-					elseif fld.kind == "list:path" then
-						value = gmake2.path(cfg, value)
-					end
-
-					value = p.rule.expandString(rule, prop, value)
-					if value ~= nil and #value > 0 then
-						p.outln(prop.name .. ' = ' .. p.esc(value))
-					end
-				end
-			end
-		end
-	end
-
-
 
 --
 -- Write out the file sets.
diff --git a/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_file_rules.lua b/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_file_rules.lua
index 947cd859ca..fb23af32e2 100644
--- a/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_file_rules.lua
+++ b/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_file_rules.lua
@@ -18,6 +18,29 @@
 	function suite.setup()
 		p.escaper(gmake2.esc)
 		gmake2.cpp.initialize()
+
+		rule "TestRule"
+		display "Test Rule"
+		fileextension ".rule"
+
+		propertydefinition {
+			name = "TestProperty",
+			kind = "boolean",
+			value = false,
+			switch = "-p"
+		}
+
+		propertydefinition {
+			name = "TestProperty2",
+			kind = "boolean",
+			value = false,
+			switch = "-p2"
+		}
+
+		buildmessage 'Rule-ing %{file.name}'
+		buildcommands 'dorule %{TestProperty} %{TestProperty2} "%{file.path}"'
+		buildoutputs { "%{file.basename}.obj" }
+
 		wks = test.createWorkspace()
 	end
 
@@ -139,3 +162,32 @@ obj/Release/hello.obj: hello.x hello.x.inc hello.x.inc2
 endif
 		]]
 	end
+
+	function suite.customRuleWithProps()
+
+		rules { "TestRule" }
+
+		files { "test.rule", "test2.rule" }
+
+		testRuleVars {
+			TestProperty = true
+		}
+
+		filter "files:test2.rule"
+			testRuleVars {
+				TestProperty2 = true
+			}
+
+		prepare()
+		test.capture [[
+# File Rules
+# #############################################
+
+test.obj: test.rule
+	@echo Rule-ing test.rule
+	$(SILENT) dorule -p  "test.rule"
+test2.obj: test2.rule
+	@echo Rule-ing test2.rule
+	$(SILENT) dorule -p -p2 "test2.rule"
+		]]
+	end
diff --git a/src/base/rule.lua b/src/base/rule.lua
index 345b1d3010..8e3b178a93 100644
--- a/src/base/rule.lua
+++ b/src/base/rule.lua
@@ -174,6 +174,15 @@
 			end
 		end
 
+		-- bool just emits the switch
+		if type(value) == "boolean" then
+			if value then
+				return prop.switch
+			else
+				return nil
+			end
+		end
+
 		-- enum?
 		if prop.values then
 			local i = table.indexof(prop.values, value)