diff --git a/lib/rdoc.rb b/lib/rdoc.rb
index a99e5dc309..932a354dfd 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc.rb
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ class Error < RuntimeError; end
   def self.load_yaml
     begin
       gem 'psych'
+    rescue NameError => e # --disable-gems
+      raise unless e.name == :gem
     rescue Gem::LoadError
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/rdoc/text.rb b/lib/rdoc/text.rb
index 606f15eb0e..8d8f419d43 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/text.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/text.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 
 begin
   gem 'json'
+rescue NameError => e # --disable-gems
+  raise unless e.name == :gem
 rescue Gem::LoadError
 end