diff --git a/base/error.jl b/base/error.jl
index 7e2578719dbbc4..2bfee47b0a237c 100644
--- a/base/error.jl
+++ b/base/error.jl
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ backtrace() = ccall(:jl_backtrace_from_here, Array{Ptr{Void},1}, (Int32,), false
 catch_backtrace() = ccall(:jl_get_backtrace, Array{Ptr{Void},1}, ())
 
 ## keyword arg lowering generates calls to this ##
-kwerr(kw) = error("unrecognized keyword argument \"", kw, "\"")
+kwerr(kw, args...) = throw(MethodError(typeof(args[1]).name.mt.kwsorter, (kw,args...)))
 
 ## system error handling ##
 
diff --git a/src/julia-syntax.scm b/src/julia-syntax.scm
index 0e74e5924d98f0..c6c689b841f0fb 100644
--- a/src/julia-syntax.scm
+++ b/src/julia-syntax.scm
@@ -493,7 +493,8 @@
                                    ,else)))
                           (if (null? restkw)
                               ;; if no rest kw, give error for unrecognized
-                              `(call (top kwerr) ,elt)
+                              `(call (top kwerr) ,kw ,@(map arg-name pargl),@(if (null? vararg) '()
+                                (list `(... ,(arg-name (car vararg))))))
                               ;; otherwise add to rest keywords
                               `(ccall 'jl_cell_1d_push Void (tuple Any Any)
                                       ,rkw (tuple ,elt