diff --git a/ci/travis/ci.sh b/ci/travis/ci.sh
index 234895ba407c..423bf6559555 100755
--- a/ci/travis/ci.sh
+++ b/ci/travis/ci.sh
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ test_cpp() {
     --test_arg=--ray_redis_password="1234"
 
   # run the cpp example
-  cd cpp/example && sh run.sh
+  cd cpp/example && bash run.sh
 }
 
 test_wheels() {
diff --git a/cpp/BUILD.bazel b/cpp/BUILD.bazel
index 18fdb3acb294..9d4e7416cda1 100644
--- a/cpp/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/cpp/BUILD.bazel
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ cc_test(
     ]),
     args = [
         "--ray_code_search_path=$(location plus.so):$(location counter.so)",
+        "--ray_head_args '--include-dashboard false'",
     ],
     copts = COPTS,
     data = [
diff --git a/cpp/include/ray/api/ray_config.h b/cpp/include/ray/api/ray_config.h
index 946063c34736..146858b2dd1f 100644
--- a/cpp/include/ray/api/ray_config.h
+++ b/cpp/include/ray/api/ray_config.h
@@ -37,21 +37,15 @@ class RayConfig {
   // Only searching the top level under a directory.
   std::vector<std::string> code_search_path;
 
+  // The command line args to be appended as parameters of the `ray start` command. It
+  // takes effect only if Ray head is started by a driver. Run `ray start --help` for
+  // details.
+  std::vector<std::string> head_args = {};
+
   /* The following are unstable parameters and their use is discouraged. */
 
   // Prevents external clients without the password from connecting to Redis if provided.
   boost::optional<std::string> redis_password_;
-
-  // Number of CPUs the user wishes to assign to each raylet. By default, this is set
-  // based on virtual cores.
-  int num_cpus = -1;
-
-  // Number of GPUs the user wishes to assign to each raylet. By default, this is set
-  // based on detected GPUs.
-  int num_gpus = -1;
-
-  // A mapping the names of custom resources to the quantities for them available.
-  std::unordered_map<std::string, int> resources;
 };
 
 }  // namespace ray
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.cc b/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.cc
index ce85dc5fc98a..a1e5c90a1124 100644
--- a/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.cc
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@ ABSL_FLAG(std::string, ray_logs_dir, "", "Logs dir for workers.");
 
 ABSL_FLAG(std::string, ray_node_ip_address, "", "The ip address for this node.");
 
+ABSL_FLAG(std::string, ray_head_args, "",
+          "The command line args to be appended as parameters of the `ray start` "
+          "command. It takes effect only if Ray head is started by a driver. Run `ray "
+          "start --help` for details.");
+
 namespace ray {
 namespace internal {
 
@@ -62,14 +67,8 @@ void ConfigInternal::Init(RayConfig &config, int argc, char **argv) {
   if (config.redis_password_) {
     redis_password = *config.redis_password_;
   }
-  if (config.num_cpus >= 0) {
-    num_cpus = config.num_cpus;
-  }
-  if (config.num_gpus >= 0) {
-    num_gpus = config.num_gpus;
-  }
-  if (!config.resources.empty()) {
-    resources = config.resources;
+  if (!config.head_args.empty()) {
+    head_args = config.head_args;
   }
   if (argc != 0 && argv != nullptr) {
     // Parse config from command line.
@@ -107,6 +106,11 @@ void ConfigInternal::Init(RayConfig &config, int argc, char **argv) {
     if (!FLAGS_ray_node_ip_address.CurrentValue().empty()) {
       node_ip_address = FLAGS_ray_node_ip_address.CurrentValue();
     }
+    if (!FLAGS_ray_head_args.CurrentValue().empty()) {
+      std::vector<std::string> args =
+          absl::StrSplit(FLAGS_ray_head_args.CurrentValue(), ' ', absl::SkipEmpty());
+      head_args.insert(head_args.end(), args.begin(), args.end());
+    }
   }
   if (worker_type == WorkerType::DRIVER && run_mode == RunMode::CLUSTER) {
     if (redis_ip.empty()) {
diff --git a/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.h b/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.h
index f9121dad6544..d07ec14fd346 100644
--- a/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.h
+++ b/cpp/src/ray/config_internal.h
@@ -53,11 +53,7 @@ class ConfigInternal {
 
   std::string node_ip_address = "";
 
-  int num_cpus = -1;
-
-  int num_gpus = -1;
-
-  std::unordered_map<std::string, int> resources;
+  std::vector<std::string> head_args = {};
 
   static ConfigInternal &Instance() {
     static ConfigInternal config;
diff --git a/cpp/src/ray/test/cluster/cluster_mode_test.cc b/cpp/src/ray/test/cluster/cluster_mode_test.cc
index 68e477b86c04..81b5de2ddc22 100644
--- a/cpp/src/ray/test/cluster/cluster_mode_test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/ray/test/cluster/cluster_mode_test.cc
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ TEST(RayClusterModeTest, Initialized) {
 
 TEST(RayClusterModeTest, FullTest) {
   ray::RayConfig config;
-  config.num_cpus = 2;
-  config.resources = {{"resource1", 1}, {"resource2", 2}};
+  config.head_args = {"--num-cpus", "2", "--resources",
+                      "{\"resource1\":1,\"resource2\":2}"};
   if (absl::GetFlag<bool>(FLAGS_external_cluster)) {
     auto port = absl::GetFlag<int32_t>(FLAGS_redis_port);
     std::string password = absl::GetFlag<std::string>(FLAGS_redis_password);
diff --git a/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.cc b/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.cc
index 6d2fb7808dd5..40f115e646e9 100644
--- a/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.cc
@@ -25,37 +25,13 @@ namespace internal {
 using ray::core::CoreWorkerProcess;
 using ray::core::WorkerType;
 
-std::string FormatResourcesArg(const std::unordered_map<std::string, int> &resources) {
-  std::ostringstream oss;
-  oss << "{";
-  for (auto iter = resources.begin(); iter != resources.end();) {
-    oss << "\"" << iter->first << "\":" << iter->second;
-    ++iter;
-    if (iter != resources.end()) {
-      oss << ",";
-    }
-  }
-  oss << "}";
-  return oss.str();
-}
-
 void ProcessHelper::StartRayNode(const int redis_port, const std::string redis_password,
-                                 const int num_cpus, const int num_gpus,
-                                 const std::unordered_map<std::string, int> resources) {
+                                 const std::vector<std::string> &head_args) {
   std::vector<std::string> cmdargs({"ray", "start", "--head", "--port",
                                     std::to_string(redis_port), "--redis-password",
-                                    redis_password, "--include-dashboard", "false"});
-  if (num_cpus >= 0) {
-    cmdargs.emplace_back("--num-cpus");
-    cmdargs.emplace_back(std::to_string(num_cpus));
-  }
-  if (num_gpus >= 0) {
-    cmdargs.emplace_back("--num-gpus");
-    cmdargs.emplace_back(std::to_string(num_gpus));
-  }
-  if (!resources.empty()) {
-    cmdargs.emplace_back("--resources");
-    cmdargs.emplace_back(FormatResourcesArg(resources));
+                                    redis_password});
+  if (!head_args.empty()) {
+    cmdargs.insert(cmdargs.end(), head_args.begin(), head_args.end());
   }
   RAY_LOG(INFO) << CreateCommandLine(cmdargs);
   RAY_CHECK(!Process::Spawn(cmdargs, true).second);
@@ -85,8 +61,7 @@ void ProcessHelper::RayStart(CoreWorkerOptions::TaskExecutionCallback callback)
     redis_ip = "127.0.0.1";
     StartRayNode(ConfigInternal::Instance().redis_port,
                  ConfigInternal::Instance().redis_password,
-                 ConfigInternal::Instance().num_cpus, ConfigInternal::Instance().num_gpus,
-                 ConfigInternal::Instance().resources);
+                 ConfigInternal::Instance().head_args);
   }
   if (redis_ip == "127.0.0.1") {
     redis_ip = GetNodeIpAddress();
diff --git a/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.h b/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.h
index 6bdc2f15acdb..c30daf20b7c0 100644
--- a/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.h
+++ b/cpp/src/ray/util/process_helper.h
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ class ProcessHelper {
   void RayStart(CoreWorkerOptions::TaskExecutionCallback callback);
   void RayStop();
   void StartRayNode(const int redis_port, const std::string redis_password,
-                    const int num_cpus = -1, const int num_gpus = -1,
-                    const std::unordered_map<std::string, int> resources = {});
+                    const std::vector<std::string> &head_args = {});
   void StopRayNode();
 
   static ProcessHelper &GetInstance() {