diff --git a/hy/compiler.py b/hy/compiler.py
index 0969966..19e8bcb 100755
--- a/hy/compiler.py
+++ b/hy/compiler.py
@@ -503,10 +503,11 @@ class HyASTCompiler(object):
                 compiled_value = self.compile(value)
                 ret += compiled_value
 
-                # no unicode for py2 in ast names
-                keyword = str(expr[2:])
-                if "-" in keyword and keyword != "-":
-                    keyword = keyword.replace("-", "_")
+                keyword = expr[2:]
+                if not keyword:
+                    raise HyTypeError(expr, "Can't call a function with the "
+                                            "empty keyword")
+                keyword = ast_str(keyword)
 
                 keywords.append(asty.keyword(
                     expr, arg=keyword, value=compiled_value.force_expr))
diff --git a/tests/native_tests/language.hy b/tests/native_tests/language.hy
index a4f39dd..89f8e5d 100644
--- a/tests/native_tests/language.hy
+++ b/tests/native_tests/language.hy
@@ -1232,11 +1232,7 @@
   (assert (= : :))
   (assert (keyword? :))
   (assert (!= : ":"))
-  (assert (= (name :) ""))
-
-  (defn f [&kwargs kwargs]
-    (list (.items kwargs)))
-  (assert (= (f : 3) [(, "" 3)])))
+  (assert (= (name :) "")))
 
 
 (defn test-nested-if []
diff --git a/tests/native_tests/mangling.hy b/tests/native_tests/mangling.hy
index 5ddca3b..4351436 100644
--- a/tests/native_tests/mangling.hy
+++ b/tests/native_tests/mangling.hy
@@ -129,6 +129,27 @@
     (assert (= hyx_Xplus_signX 3))))
 
 
+(defn test-keyword-args []
+
+  (defn f [a a-b foo? ☘]
+    [a a-b foo? ☘])
+  (assert (= (f :foo? 3 :☘ 4 :a 1 :a-b 2) [1 2 3 4]))
+  (if PY3
+    (assert (= (f :is_foo 3 :hyx_ΔshamrockΔ 4 :a 1 :a_b 2) [1 2 3 4]))
+    (assert (= (f :is_foo 3 :hyx_XshamrockX 4 :a 1 :a_b 2) [1 2 3 4])))
+
+  (defn g [&kwargs x]
+    x)
+  (setv sk (.format "hyx_{0}shamrock{0}" (if PY3 "Δ" "X")))
+  (assert (= (g :foo? 3 :☘ 4 :a 1 :a-b 2)
+    {"a" 1  "a_b" 2  "is_foo" 3  sk 4}))
+  (if PY3
+    (assert (= (g :is_foo 3 :hyx_ΔshamrockΔ 4 :a 1 :a_b 2)
+      {"a" 1  "a_b" 2  "is_foo" 3  sk 4}))
+    (assert (= (g :is_foo 3 :hyx_XshamrockX 4 :a 1 :a_b 2)
+      {"a" 1  "a_b" 2  "is_foo" 3  sk 4}))))
+
+
 (defn test-late-mangling []
   ; Mangling should only happen during compilation.
   (assert (!= 'foo? 'is_foo))