diff --git a/examples/BUILD b/examples/BUILD
index 72f9f65b..021ce21d 100644
--- a/examples/BUILD
+++ b/examples/BUILD
@@ -21,3 +21,16 @@ pex_pytest(
     args = ["--strict"],
     deps = [":libfoo"],
 )
+
+# Tests that the interpreter attribute works
+pex_binary(
+    name = "foo_interpreter",
+    srcs = ["foo.py"],
+    interpreter = "/usr/bin/python2.7",
+)
+sh_test(
+    name = "interpreter_test",
+    srcs = ["interpreter_test.py"],
+    data = [":foo", ":foo_interpreter"],
+    args = ["$(location :foo)", "$(location :foo_interpreter)"],
+)
diff --git a/examples/interpreter_test.py b/examples/interpreter_test.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..d594b419
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/interpreter_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python2.7
+
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT = "I'm a pex file!\n"
+
+
+def test_pex(pex_path, expected_interpreter):
+    with open(pex_path) as f:
+        interpreter_line = f.readline()
+    if interpreter_line != expected_interpreter:
+        sys.stderr.write('ERROR %s: Unexpected interpreter: %s\n' % (
+            pex_path, repr(interpreter_line)))
+        sys.stderr.write('    Expected: %s\n' % (repr(expected_interpreter)))
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # check that it can be executed
+    output = subprocess.check_output(pex_path)
+    assert output == EXPECTED_OUTPUT
+
+
+def main():
+    '''Tests that the pex_binary interpreter attribute works.'''
+
+    if len(sys.argv) != 3:
+        sys.stderr.write('Error: Pass path to default PEX and changed PEX\n')
+        sys.exit(1)
+    default_pex = sys.argv[1]
+    changed_pex = sys.argv[2]
+
+    test_pex(default_pex, '#!/usr/bin/env python2.7\n')
+    test_pex(changed_pex, '#!/usr/bin/python2.7\n')
+    print 'PASS'
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/pex/pex_rules.bzl b/pex/pex_rules.bzl
index 67824a48..dfe5bc19 100644
--- a/pex/pex_rules.bzl
+++ b/pex/pex_rules.bzl
@@ -225,6 +225,8 @@ def _pex_binary_impl(ctx):
       "--cache-dir", ".pex/build",
       manifest_file.path,
   ]
+  if ctx.attr.interpreter != "":
+    arguments += ["--python-shebang", ctx.attr.interpreter]
 
   # form the inputs to pex builder
   _inputs = (