diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/optimize.rktl b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/optimize.rktl
index 693c93ed52..90096b6dee 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/optimize.rktl
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/optimize.rktl
@@ -4430,6 +4430,14 @@
   (define-inline (odd? x)  (if (zero? x) #f (even? (sub1 x))))
   (test/output (odd? 2)
                #f "")
+
+  ;; multiple keyword arguments that have to be sorted:
+  (define-inline (sub #:a a #:b b)
+    (- a b))
+  (test/output (sub #:a 2 #:b 1)
+               1 "")
+  (test/output (sub #:b 1 #:a 2)
+               1 "")
   )
 
 
diff --git a/racket/collects/racket/performance-hint.rkt b/racket/collects/racket/performance-hint.rkt
index 94a9f32f23..84fada48d3 100644
--- a/racket/collects/racket/performance-hint.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/racket/performance-hint.rkt
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
                                       string<?
                                       #:key (lambda (kw)
                                               (keyword->string
-                                               (syntax-e kw))))])
+                                               (syntax-e (car kw)))))])
                           (keyword-apply
                            function-aux
                            (map (lambda (x) (syntax-e (car x)))