diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/extensions/api/changes/RevisionApi.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/extensions/api/changes/RevisionApi.java
index 3665706..4658eb3 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/extensions/api/changes/RevisionApi.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/extensions/api/changes/RevisionApi.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.FileInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.MergeableInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.RobotCommentInfo;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.BinaryResult;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.NotImplementedException;
@@ -128,6 +129,8 @@
 
   SubmitType testSubmitType(TestSubmitRuleInput in) throws RestApiException;
 
+  List<TestSubmitRuleInfo> testSubmitRule(TestSubmitRuleInput in) throws RestApiException;
+
   MergeListRequest getMergeList() throws RestApiException;
 
   abstract class MergeListRequest {
@@ -358,6 +361,11 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public List<TestSubmitRuleInfo> testSubmitRule(TestSubmitRuleInput in) throws RestApiException {
+      throw new NotImplementedException();
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public MergeListRequest getMergeList() throws RestApiException {
       throw new NotImplementedException();
     }
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/extensions/common/TestSubmitRuleInfo.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/extensions/common/TestSubmitRuleInfo.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd7ebcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/extensions/common/TestSubmitRuleInfo.java
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2018 The Android Open Source Project
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package com.google.gerrit.extensions.common;
+
+import com.google.common.base.MoreObjects;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
+
+public class TestSubmitRuleInfo {
+  /** @see com.google.gerrit.common.data.SubmitRecord.Status */
+  public String status;
+
+  public String errorMessage;
+  public Map<String, AccountInfo> ok;
+  public Map<String, AccountInfo> reject;
+  public Map<String, None> need;
+  public Map<String, AccountInfo> may;
+  public Map<String, None> impossible;
+
+  public static class None {
+    private None() {}
+
+    public static None INSTANCE = new None();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean equals(Object o) {
+    if (o instanceof TestSubmitRuleInfo) {
+      TestSubmitRuleInfo other = (TestSubmitRuleInfo) o;
+      return Objects.equals(status, other.status)
+          && Objects.equals(errorMessage, other.errorMessage)
+          && Objects.equals(ok, other.ok)
+          && Objects.equals(reject, other.reject)
+          && Objects.equals(need, other.need)
+          && Objects.equals(may, other.may)
+          && Objects.equals(impossible, other.impossible);
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public int hashCode() {
+    return Objects.hash(status, errorMessage, ok, reject, need, may, impossible);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public String toString() {
+    return MoreObjects.toStringHelper(this)
+        .add("status", status)
+        .add("errorMessage", errorMessage)
+        .add("ok", ok)
+        .add("reject", reject)
+        .add("need", need)
+        .add("may", may)
+        .add("impossible", impossible)
+        .toString();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/api/changes/RevisionApiImpl.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/api/changes/RevisionApiImpl.java
index bd602a8..33f211d 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/api/changes/RevisionApiImpl.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/api/changes/RevisionApiImpl.java
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.Input;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.MergeableInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.RobotCommentInfo;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.BinaryResult;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.IdString;
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.server.restapi.change.RevisionReviewers;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.restapi.change.RobotComments;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.restapi.change.Submit;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.restapi.change.TestSubmitRule;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.restapi.change.TestSubmitType;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.Provider;
@@ -125,6 +127,7 @@
   private final GetRevisionActions revisionActions;
   private final TestSubmitType testSubmitType;
   private final TestSubmitType.Get getSubmitType;
+  private final Provider<TestSubmitRule> testSubmitRule;
   private final Provider<GetMergeList> getMergeList;
   private final PutDescription putDescription;
   private final GetDescription getDescription;
@@ -164,6 +167,7 @@
       GetRevisionActions revisionActions,
       TestSubmitType testSubmitType,
       TestSubmitType.Get getSubmitType,
+      Provider<TestSubmitRule> testSubmitRule,
       Provider<GetMergeList> getMergeList,
       PutDescription putDescription,
       GetDescription getDescription,
@@ -201,6 +205,7 @@
     this.revisionActions = revisionActions;
     this.testSubmitType = testSubmitType;
     this.getSubmitType = getSubmitType;
+    this.testSubmitRule = testSubmitRule;
     this.getMergeList = getMergeList;
     this.putDescription = putDescription;
     this.getDescription = getDescription;
@@ -559,6 +564,15 @@
   }
 
   @Override
+  public List<TestSubmitRuleInfo> testSubmitRule(TestSubmitRuleInput in) throws RestApiException {
+    try {
+      return testSubmitRule.get().apply(revision, in);
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      throw asRestApiException("Cannot test submit rule", e);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Override
   public MergeListRequest getMergeList() throws RestApiException {
     return new MergeListRequest() {
       @Override
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/TestSubmitRule.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/TestSubmitRule.java
index cdd7426..c7eb781 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/TestSubmitRule.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/TestSubmitRule.java
@@ -15,27 +15,32 @@
 package com.google.gerrit.server.restapi.change;
 
 import com.google.common.base.MoreObjects;
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 import com.google.gerrit.common.data.SubmitRecord;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.AccountInfo;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInput.Filters;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.BadRequestException;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestModifyView;
 import com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.server.ReviewDb;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.account.AccountLoader;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.change.RevisionResource;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackendException;
-import com.google.gerrit.server.project.SubmitRuleEvaluator;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.project.ProjectCache;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.project.ProjectState;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.project.SubmitRuleOptions;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.query.change.ChangeData;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.rules.DefaultSubmitRule;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.rules.PrologRule;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.rules.RulesCache;
 import com.google.gwtorm.server.OrmException;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.Provider;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
 import org.kohsuke.args4j.Option;
 
 public class TestSubmitRule implements RestModifyView<RevisionResource, TestSubmitRuleInput> {
@@ -43,7 +48,9 @@
   private final ChangeData.Factory changeDataFactory;
   private final RulesCache rules;
   private final AccountLoader.Factory accountInfoFactory;
-  private final SubmitRuleEvaluator.Factory submitRuleEvaluatorFactory;
+  private final ProjectCache projectCache;
+  private final DefaultSubmitRule defaultSubmitRule;
+  private final PrologRule prologRule;
 
   @Option(name = "--filters", usage = "impact of filters in parent projects")
   private Filters filters = Filters.RUN;
@@ -54,17 +61,21 @@
       ChangeData.Factory changeDataFactory,
       RulesCache rules,
       AccountLoader.Factory infoFactory,
-      SubmitRuleEvaluator.Factory submitRuleEvaluatorFactory) {
+      ProjectCache projectCache,
+      DefaultSubmitRule defaultSubmitRule,
+      PrologRule prologRule) {
     this.db = db;
     this.changeDataFactory = changeDataFactory;
     this.rules = rules;
     this.accountInfoFactory = infoFactory;
-    this.submitRuleEvaluatorFactory = submitRuleEvaluatorFactory;
+    this.projectCache = projectCache;
+    this.defaultSubmitRule = defaultSubmitRule;
+    this.prologRule = prologRule;
   }
 
   @Override
-  public List<Record> apply(RevisionResource rsrc, TestSubmitRuleInput input)
-      throws AuthException, OrmException, PermissionBackendException {
+  public List<TestSubmitRuleInfo> apply(RevisionResource rsrc, TestSubmitRuleInput input)
+      throws AuthException, OrmException, PermissionBackendException, BadRequestException {
     if (input == null) {
       input = new TestSubmitRuleInput();
     }
@@ -80,74 +91,76 @@
             .logErrors(false)
             .build();
 
+    ProjectState projectState = projectCache.get(rsrc.getProject());
+    if (projectState == null) {
+      throw new BadRequestException("project not found");
+    }
     ChangeData cd = changeDataFactory.create(db.get(), rsrc.getNotes());
-    List<SubmitRecord> records = submitRuleEvaluatorFactory.create(opts).evaluate(cd);
+    List<SubmitRecord> records;
+    if (projectState.hasPrologRules() || input.rule != null) {
+      records = ImmutableList.copyOf(prologRule.evaluate(cd, opts));
+    } else {
+      // No rules were provided as input and we have no rules.pl. This means we are supposed to run
+      // the default rules. Nowadays, the default rules are implemented in Java, not Prolog.
+      // Therefore, we call the DefaultRuleEvaluator instead.
+      records = ImmutableList.copyOf(defaultSubmitRule.evaluate(cd, opts));
+    }
 
-    List<Record> out = Lists.newArrayListWithCapacity(records.size());
+    List<TestSubmitRuleInfo> out = Lists.newArrayListWithCapacity(records.size());
     AccountLoader accounts = accountInfoFactory.create(true);
     for (SubmitRecord r : records) {
-      out.add(new Record(r, accounts));
+      out.add(newSubmitRuleInfo(r, accounts));
     }
     accounts.fill();
     return out;
   }
 
-  static class Record {
-    SubmitRecord.Status status;
-    String errorMessage;
-    Map<String, AccountInfo> ok;
-    Map<String, AccountInfo> reject;
-    Map<String, None> need;
-    Map<String, AccountInfo> may;
-    Map<String, None> impossible;
+  private static TestSubmitRuleInfo newSubmitRuleInfo(SubmitRecord r, AccountLoader accounts) {
+    TestSubmitRuleInfo info = new TestSubmitRuleInfo();
+    info.status = r.status.name();
+    info.errorMessage = r.errorMessage;
 
-    Record(SubmitRecord r, AccountLoader accounts) {
-      this.status = r.status;
-      this.errorMessage = r.errorMessage;
-
-      if (r.labels != null) {
-        for (SubmitRecord.Label n : r.labels) {
-          AccountInfo who = n.appliedBy != null ? accounts.get(n.appliedBy) : new AccountInfo(null);
-          label(n, who);
-        }
+    if (r.labels != null) {
+      for (SubmitRecord.Label n : r.labels) {
+        AccountInfo who = n.appliedBy != null ? accounts.get(n.appliedBy) : new AccountInfo(null);
+        label(info, n, who);
       }
     }
-
-    private void label(SubmitRecord.Label n, AccountInfo who) {
-      switch (n.status) {
-        case OK:
-          if (ok == null) {
-            ok = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-          }
-          ok.put(n.label, who);
-          break;
-        case REJECT:
-          if (reject == null) {
-            reject = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-          }
-          reject.put(n.label, who);
-          break;
-        case NEED:
-          if (need == null) {
-            need = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-          }
-          need.put(n.label, new None());
-          break;
-        case MAY:
-          if (may == null) {
-            may = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-          }
-          may.put(n.label, who);
-          break;
-        case IMPOSSIBLE:
-          if (impossible == null) {
-            impossible = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-          }
-          impossible.put(n.label, new None());
-          break;
-      }
-    }
+    return info;
   }
 
-  static class None {}
+  private static void label(TestSubmitRuleInfo info, SubmitRecord.Label n, AccountInfo who) {
+    switch (n.status) {
+      case OK:
+        if (info.ok == null) {
+          info.ok = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        }
+        info.ok.put(n.label, who);
+        break;
+      case REJECT:
+        if (info.reject == null) {
+          info.reject = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        }
+        info.reject.put(n.label, who);
+        break;
+      case NEED:
+        if (info.need == null) {
+          info.need = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        }
+        info.need.put(n.label, TestSubmitRuleInfo.None.INSTANCE);
+        break;
+      case MAY:
+        if (info.may == null) {
+          info.may = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        }
+        info.may.put(n.label, who);
+        break;
+      case IMPOSSIBLE:
+        if (info.impossible == null) {
+          info.impossible = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        }
+        info.impossible.put(n.label, TestSubmitRuleInfo.None.INSTANCE);
+        break;
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/rules/PrologRule.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/rules/PrologRule.java
index deddc36..0c54f40 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/rules/PrologRule.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/rules/PrologRule.java
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
   @Override
   public Collection<SubmitRecord> evaluate(ChangeData cd, SubmitRuleOptions opts) {
     ProjectState projectState = projectCache.get(cd.project());
-    // We only want to run the prolog engine if we have at least one rules.pl file to use.
-    if (projectState == null || !projectState.hasPrologRules()) {
+    // We only want to run the Prolog engine if we have at least one rules.pl file to use.
+    if ((projectState == null || !projectState.hasPrologRules()) && opts.rule() == null) {
       return Collections.emptyList();
     }
 
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/change/SubmitTypeRuleIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/change/SubmitTypeRuleIT.java
index f73a59c..507205d 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/change/SubmitTypeRuleIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/api/change/SubmitTypeRuleIT.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.changes.ReviewInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.projects.BranchInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.client.SubmitType;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.TestSubmitRuleInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.ResourceConflictException;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
@@ -255,6 +256,36 @@
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void invalidSubmitRuleWithNoRulesInProject() throws Exception {
+    String changeId = createChange("master", "change 1").getChangeId();
+
+    TestSubmitRuleInput in = new TestSubmitRuleInput();
+    in.rule = "invalid prolog rule";
+    // We have no rules.pl by default. The fact that the default rules are showing up here is a bug.
+    List<TestSubmitRuleInfo> response = gApi.changes().id(changeId).current().testSubmitRule(in);
+    assertThat(response).containsExactly(invalidPrologRuleInfo());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void invalidSubmitRuleWithRulesInProject() throws Exception {
+    setRulesPl(SUBMIT_TYPE_FROM_SUBJECT);
+
+    String changeId = createChange("master", "change 1").getChangeId();
+
+    TestSubmitRuleInput in = new TestSubmitRuleInput();
+    in.rule = "invalid prolog rule";
+    List<TestSubmitRuleInfo> response = gApi.changes().id(changeId).current().testSubmitRule(in);
+    assertThat(response).containsExactly(invalidPrologRuleInfo());
+  }
+
+  private static TestSubmitRuleInfo invalidPrologRuleInfo() {
+    TestSubmitRuleInfo info = new TestSubmitRuleInfo();
+    info.status = "RULE_ERROR";
+    info.errorMessage = "operator expected after expression at: invalid prolog rule end_of_file.";
+    return info;
+  }
+
   private List<RevCommit> log(String commitish, int n) throws Exception {
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project);
         Git git = new Git(repo)) {