diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/extend/os/linux/keg_relocate.rb b/Library/Homebrew/extend/os/linux/keg_relocate.rb
index 2866373b91..5d25692fd1 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/extend/os/linux/keg_relocate.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/extend/os/linux/keg_relocate.rb
@@ -18,10 +18,7 @@ class Keg
   def change_rpath(file, old_prefix, new_prefix)
     return if !file.elf? || !file.dynamic_elf?
 
-    patchelf = DevelopmentTools.locate "patchelf"
-    odie "Could not locate patchelf, please: brew install patchelf." if patchelf.nil?
-    cmd = [patchelf]
-
+    updated = {}
     old_rpath = file.rpath
     new_rpath = if old_rpath
       rpath = old_rpath.split(":")
@@ -30,11 +27,10 @@ class Keg
 
       lib_path = "#{new_prefix}/lib"
       rpath << lib_path unless rpath.include? lib_path
-      new_rpath = rpath.join(":")
-      cmd.push  "--force-rpath", "--set-rpath", new_rpath
 
-      new_rpath
+      rpath.join(":")
     end
+    updated[:rpath] = new_rpath if old_rpath != new_rpath
 
     old_interpreter = file.interpreter
     new_interpreter = if old_interpreter.nil?
@@ -44,11 +40,9 @@ class Keg
     else
       old_interpreter.sub old_prefix, new_prefix
     end
-    cmd << "--set-interpreter" << new_interpreter if old_interpreter != new_interpreter
+    updated[:interpreter] = new_interpreter if old_interpreter != new_interpreter
 
-    return if old_rpath == new_rpath && old_interpreter == new_interpreter
-
-    safe_system(*cmd, file)
+    file.patch!(interpreter: updated[:interpreter], rpath: updated[:rpath])
   end
 
   def detect_cxx_stdlibs(options = {})
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/elf.rb b/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/elf.rb
index a0d84e7d4f..c4d8dae4cd 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/elf.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/elf.rb
@@ -98,6 +98,16 @@ module ELFShim
     @interpreter = patchelf_patcher.interpreter
   end
 
+  def patch!(interpreter: nil, rpath: nil)
+    return if interpreter.blank? && rpath.blank?
+
+    if HOMEBREW_PATCHELF_RB_WRITE
+      save_using_patchelf_rb interpreter, rpath
+    else
+      save_using_patchelf interpreter, rpath
+    end
+  end
+
   def dynamic_elf?
     return @dynamic_elf if defined? @dynamic_elf
 
@@ -148,13 +158,30 @@ module ELFShim
   end
   private_constant :Metadata
 
+  def save_using_patchelf(new_interpreter, new_rpath)
+    patchelf = DevelopmentTools.locate "patchelf"
+    odie "Could not locate patchelf, please: brew install patchelf." if patchelf.blank?
+    args = []
+    args << "--set-interpreter" << new_interpreter if new_interpreter.present?
+    args << "--force-rpath" << "--set-rpath" << new_rpath if new_rpath.present?
+
+    Homebrew.safe_system(patchelf, *args, to_s)
+  end
+
+  def save_using_patchelf_rb(new_interpreter, new_rpath)
+    patcher = patchelf_patcher
+    patcher.interpreter = new_interpreter if new_interpreter.present?
+    patcher.rpath = new_rpath if new_rpath.present?
+    patcher.save(patchelf_compatible: true)
+  end
+
   def rpath_using_patchelf_rb
     patchelf_patcher.runpath || patchelf_patcher.rpath
   end
 
   def patchelf_patcher
     require "patchelf"
-    @patchelf_patcher ||= PatchELF::Patcher.new to_s, on_error: :silent
+    @patchelf_patcher ||= ::PatchELF::Patcher.new to_s, on_error: :silent
   end
 
   def metadata
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/global.rb b/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/global.rb
index e0b8724930..32dd99c2fb 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/global.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/os/linux/global.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+# enables experimental patchelf.rb write support.
+HOMEBREW_PATCHELF_RB_WRITE = ENV["HOMEBREW_PATCHELF_RB_WRITE"].present?.freeze
+
 module Homebrew
   DEFAULT_PREFIX ||= if Homebrew::EnvConfig.force_homebrew_on_linux?
     HOMEBREW_DEFAULT_PREFIX