diff --git a/lib/Cake/Routing/Route/CakeRoute.php b/lib/Cake/Routing/Route/CakeRoute.php
index e8247b38c..d7bdd0173 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Routing/Route/CakeRoute.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Routing/Route/CakeRoute.php
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ class CakeRoute {
 			$separatorIsPresent = strpos($param, $namedConfig['separator']) !== false;
 			if ((!isset($this->options['named']) || !empty($this->options['named'])) && $separatorIsPresent) {
 				list($key, $val) = explode($namedConfig['separator'], $param, 2);
-				$key = key;
+				$key = $key;
 				$val = $val;
 				$hasRule = isset($rules[$key]);
 				$passIt = (!$hasRule && !$greedy) || ($hasRule && !$this->_matchNamed($val, $rules[$key], $context));