diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/xref.el b/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
index 7453dbed99..c4adee609c 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
@@ -1544,7 +1544,7 @@ xref-search-program
   "The program to use for regexp search inside files.
 
 This must reference a corresponding entry in `xref-search-program-alist'."
-  :type `(choice
+  :type '(choice
           (const :tag "Use Grep" grep)
           (const :tag "Use ripgrep" ripgrep)
           (symbol :tag "User defined"))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/grep.el b/lisp/progmodes/grep.el
index 8f0a5acf70..cc3375a284 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/grep.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/grep.el
@@ -484,9 +484,14 @@ grep-mode-font-lock-keywords
 This gets tacked on the end of the generated expressions.")
 
 ;;;###autoload
-(defvar grep-program (purecopy "grep")
+(defcustom grep-program (purecopy "grep")
   "The default grep program for `grep-command' and `grep-find-command'.
-This variable's value takes effect when `grep-compute-defaults' is called.")
+This variable's value takes effect when `grep-compute-defaults' is called."
+  :type '(choice
+          (const :tag "Use Grep" "grep")
+          (const :tag "Use ripgrep" "rg")
+          (string :tag "User defined"))
+  :version "28.1")
 
 ;;;###autoload
 (defvar find-program (purecopy "find")
@@ -709,13 +714,14 @@ grep-compute-defaults
       (let ((grep-options
 	     (concat (if grep-use-null-device "-n" "-nH")
                      (if grep-use-null-filename-separator " --null")
+                     (if (equal grep-program "rg") " --no-heading")
                      (when (grep-probe grep-program
                                        `(nil nil nil "-e" "foo" ,(null-device))
                                        nil 1)
                        " -e"))))
 	(unless grep-command
 	  (setq grep-command
-		(format "%s %s %s " grep-program
+		(format "%s%s %s " grep-program
                         (or
                          (and grep-highlight-matches
                               (grep-probe
@@ -723,7 +729,7 @@ grep-compute-defaults
                                `(nil nil nil "--color" "x" ,(null-device))
                                nil 1)
                               (if (eq grep-highlight-matches 'always)
-                                  "--color=always" "--color=auto"))
+                                  " --color=always" " --color=auto"))
                          "")
                         grep-options)))
 	(unless grep-template
@@ -983,6 +989,8 @@ grep-expand-template
                              (push "--color=always" opts))
                             ((eq grep-highlight-matches 'auto)
                              (push "--color=auto" opts)))
+                           (when (equal grep-program "rg")
+                             (push "--no-heading" opts))
                            opts))
                 (excl . ,excl)
                 (dir . ,dir)
@@ -1131,7 +1139,7 @@ lgrep
 		       files
 		       nil
 		       (and grep-find-ignored-files
-			    (concat " --exclude="
+			    (concat (if (equal grep-program "rg") " -g=!" " --exclude=")
 				    (mapconcat
                                      (lambda (ignore)
                                        (cond ((stringp ignore)
@@ -1141,7 +1149,7 @@ lgrep
                                                    (shell-quote-argument
                                                     (cdr ignore))))))
 				     grep-find-ignored-files
-				     " --exclude=")))
+				     (if (equal grep-program "rg") " -g=!" " --exclude="))))
 		       (and (eq grep-use-directories-skip t)
 			    '("--directories=skip"))))
 	(when command
@@ -1339,7 +1347,8 @@ zrgrep
 					    nil default-directory t))
 		  (confirm (equal current-prefix-arg '(4))))
 	     (list regexp files dir confirm grep-find-template)))))))
-  (let ((grep-find-template template)
+  (let ((grep-program "zgrep")
+        (grep-find-template template)
         ;; Set `grep-highlight-matches' to `always'
         ;; since `zgrep' puts filters in the grep output.
         (grep-highlight-matches 'always))
diff --git a/lisp/cedet/semantic/symref/grep.el b/lisp/cedet/semantic/symref/grep.el
index 180d779a78..034f797076 100644
--- a/lisp/cedet/semantic/symref/grep.el
+++ b/lisp/cedet/semantic/symref/grep.el
@@ -150,15 +150,14 @@ semantic-symref-perform-search
                            "-l ")
                           ((eq (oref tool searchtype) 'regexp)
                            "-nE ")
-                          (t "-n ")))
+                          (t (if (equal grep-program "rg") "" "-n "))))
          (greppat (cond ((eq (oref tool searchtype) 'regexp)
                          (oref tool searchfor))
                         (t
                          ;; Can't use the word boundaries: Grep
                          ;; doesn't always agree with the language
                          ;; syntax on those.
-                         (format "\\(^\\|\\W\\)%s\\(\\W\\|$\\)"
-                                 (oref tool searchfor)))))
+                         (format "\\b%s\\b" (oref tool searchfor)))))
 	 ;; Misc
 	 (b (get-buffer-create "*Semantic SymRef*"))
 	 (ans nil)