diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/syntax.rktl b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/syntax.rktl
index cab5a73fa0..4e9c04e96a 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/syntax.rktl
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/syntax.rktl
@@ -1854,6 +1854,25 @@
       (read i)))
   (test (syntax->datum (eval v)) syntax->datum (eval e)))
 
+;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
+;; Check that expansion of `apply` into the keyword `apply`
+;; doesn't create a confusing inferred name:
+
+(define proc-that-accepts-anything (make-keyword-procedure void))
+(proc-that-accepts-anything #:contract
+                            (apply proc-that-accepts-anything
+                                   null
+                                   #:flat? #t))
+(let-syntax ([x (lambda (stx)
+                  (syntax-property
+                   (datum->syntax stx
+                                  (cons #'proc-that-accepts-anything
+                                        (cdr (syntax-e stx))))
+                   'inferred-name
+                   "non-symbol"))])
+  (proc-that-accepts-anything #:contract
+                              (x #:flag? #t)))
+
 ;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 
 (report-errs)
diff --git a/racket/collects/racket/private/kw.rkt b/racket/collects/racket/private/kw.rkt
index 7628b8edec..9f6a360a63 100644
--- a/racket/collects/racket/private/kw.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/racket/private/kw.rkt
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@
                        [else
                         (cons (car l) (loop (cdr l)))])))])
             (let* ([name (syntax-local-infer-name stx #f)]
-                   [ids (cons (if name
+                   [ids (cons (if (and name (or (identifier? name) (symbol? name)))
                                   (if (syntax? name) name (datum->syntax #f name))
                                   (datum->syntax #f 'procedure))
                               (generate-temporaries exprs))])