diff --git a/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/admin.rb b/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/admin.rb
index b45a210129b..88486c07fa0 100644
--- a/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/admin.rb
+++ b/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/admin.rb
@@ -585,6 +585,7 @@ module Hbase
 
       # Get table descriptor
       htd = @admin.getTableDescriptor(table_name)
+      hasTableUpdate = false
 
       # Process all args
       args.each do |arg|
@@ -605,18 +606,11 @@ module Hbase
 
           # If column already exist, then try to alter it. Create otherwise.
           if htd.hasFamily(column_name.to_java_bytes)
-            @admin.modifyColumn(table_name, descriptor)
+            htd.modifyFamily(descriptor)
           else
-            @admin.addColumn(table_name, descriptor)
+            htd.addFamily(descriptor)
           end
-
-          if wait == true
-            puts "Updating all regions with the new schema..."
-            alter_status(table_name_str)
-          end
-
-          # We bypass descriptor when adding column families; refresh it to apply other args correctly.
-          htd = @admin.getTableDescriptor(table_name)
+          hasTableUpdate = true
           next
         end
 
@@ -626,7 +620,8 @@ module Hbase
           # Delete column family
           if method == "delete"
             raise(ArgumentError, "NAME parameter missing for delete method") unless name
-            @admin.deleteColumn(table_name, name.to_java_bytes)
+            htd.removeFamily(name.to_java_bytes)
+            hasTableUpdate = true
           # Unset table attributes
           elsif method == "table_att_unset"
             raise(ArgumentError, "NAME parameter missing for table_att_unset method") unless name
@@ -643,7 +638,7 @@ module Hbase
               end
               htd.remove(name)
             end
-            @admin.modifyTable(table_name, htd)
+            hasTableUpdate = true
           # Unknown method
           else
             raise ArgumentError, "Unknown method: #{method}"
@@ -653,15 +648,6 @@ module Hbase
             puts("Unknown argument ignored: %s" % [unknown_key])
           end
 
-          if wait == true
-            puts "Updating all regions with the new schema..."
-            alter_status(table_name_str)
-          end
-
-          if method == "delete"
-            # We bypass descriptor when deleting column families; refresh it to apply other args correctly.
-            htd = @admin.getTableDescriptor(table_name)
-          end
           next
         end
 
@@ -706,19 +692,25 @@ module Hbase
             arg.delete(key)
           end
 
-          @admin.modifyTable(table_name, htd)
+          hasTableUpdate = true
 
           arg.each_key do |unknown_key|
             puts("Unknown argument ignored: %s" % [unknown_key])
           end
 
-          if wait == true
-            puts "Updating all regions with the new schema..."
-            alter_status(table_name_str)
-          end
           next
         end
       end
+
+      # Bulk apply all table modifications.
+      if hasTableUpdate
+        @admin.modifyTable(table_name, htd)
+
+        if wait == true
+          puts "Updating all regions with the new schema..."
+          alter_status(table_name_str)
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     def status(format, type)
diff --git a/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/admin_test.rb b/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/admin_test.rb
index 02700372cbe..54f7418d155 100644
--- a/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/admin_test.rb
+++ b/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/admin_test.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 require 'shell'
 require 'shell/formatter'
+require 'stringio'
 require 'hbase'
 require 'hbase/hbase'
 require 'hbase/table'
@@ -295,12 +296,26 @@ module Hbase
 
     define_test "alter should support more than one alteration in one call" do
       assert_equal(['x:', 'y:'], table(@test_name).get_all_columns.sort)
-      admin.alter(@test_name, true, { NAME => 'z' }, { METHOD => 'delete', NAME => 'y' }, 'MAX_FILESIZE' => 12345678)
+      alterOutput = capture_stdout { admin.alter(@test_name, true, { NAME => 'z' },
+        { METHOD => 'delete', NAME => 'y' }, 'MAX_FILESIZE' => 12345678) }
       admin.enable(@test_name)
+      assert_equal(1, /Updating all regions/.match(alterOutput).size,
+        "HBASE-15641 - Should only perform one table modification per alter.")
       assert_equal(['x:', 'z:'], table(@test_name).get_all_columns.sort)
       assert_match(/12345678/, admin.describe(@test_name))
     end
 
+    def capture_stdout
+      begin
+        old_stdout = $stdout
+        $stdout = StringIO.new('','w')
+        yield
+        $stdout.string
+      ensure
+        $stdout = old_stdout
+      end
+    end
+
     define_test 'alter should support shortcut DELETE alter specs' do
       assert_equal(['x:', 'y:'], table(@test_name).get_all_columns.sort)
       admin.alter(@test_name, true, 'delete' => 'y')