diff --git a/ci.hocon b/ci.hocon
index a3497223768cd13bdd241d5b15129988b62f03d9..57e9286e736a9b58b55ba8ff9aed73debcdaae2c 100644
--- a/ci.hocon
+++ b/ci.hocon
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ common : ${java8Downloads} ${packagesLinux}  {
 # the "mx" tool. This defines a common prefix for all gate commands. The "-t"
 # arg indicates the exact set of gate "tasks" that will be run.
 
-gateCmd : ["mx", "--strict-compliance", "gate", "--strict-mode", "-t"]
+gateCmd : ["mx", "--strict-compliance", "rgate", "--strict-mode", "-t"]
 
 # currently disabled gate commands: FindBugs,Checkheaders,Distribution Overlap Check,BuildJavaWithEcj
 
diff --git a/mx.fastr/mx_fastr.py b/mx.fastr/mx_fastr.py
index 7b61a3078ad8d7dbaa4d83a69b7cb0140fc5a375..b3e5006c3f4e6877eb5f68204574b201264943b6 100644
--- a/mx.fastr/mx_fastr.py
+++ b/mx.fastr/mx_fastr.py
@@ -260,7 +260,15 @@ def _fastr_gate_runner(args, tasks):
 mx_gate.add_gate_runner(_fastr_suite, _fastr_gate_runner)
 
 def rgate(args):
-    '''Run the R gate, with some standard tasks excluded as they currently fail'''
+    '''
+    Run 'mx.gate' with given args (used in CI system).
+    N.B. This will fail if run without certain exclusions; use the local
+    'gate' command for that.
+    '''
+    mx_gate.gate(args)
+
+def gate(args):
+    '''Run 'mx.gate' with some standard tasks excluded as they currently fail'''
     mx_gate.gate(args + ['-x', '-t', 'FindBugs,Checkheaders,Distribution Overlap Check,BuildJavaWithEcj'])
 
 def _test_srcdir():
@@ -518,6 +526,7 @@ _commands = {
     'Rscript' : [rscript, '[options]'],
     'rtestgen' : [testgen, ''],
     'rgate' : [rgate, ''],
+    'gate' : [gate, ''],
     'junit' : [junit, ['options']],
     'junitsimple' : [junit_simple, ['options']],
     'junitdefault' : [junit_default, ['options']],