diff --git a/core/commands/publish.go b/core/commands/publish.go
index b19b0f932..5f832eb6b 100644
--- a/core/commands/publish.go
+++ b/core/commands/publish.go
@@ -72,16 +72,19 @@ Publish an <ipfs-path> to another public key (not implemented):
 			return
 		}
 
+		var name string
 		var pstr string
 
 		switch len(args) {
 		case 2:
-			// name = args[0]
+			name = args[0]
 			pstr = args[1]
-			res.SetError(errors.New("keychains not yet implemented"), cmds.ErrNormal)
-			return
+			if name != n.Identity.Pretty() {
+				res.SetError(errors.New("keychains not yet implemented"), cmds.ErrNormal)
+				return
+			}
 		case 1:
-			// name = n.Identity.ID.String()
+			// name = n.Identity.Pretty()
 			pstr = args[0]
 		}
 
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh b/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh
index 531eddf9d..b2ea8f4bc 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh
@@ -52,4 +52,16 @@ test_expect_success "resolve output looks good" '
 	test_cmp output expected4
 '
 
+# publish with an explicit node ID
+
+test_expect_success "'ipfs name publish <local-id> <hash>' succeeds" '
+	PEERID=`ipfs id --format="<id>"` &&
+	ipfs name publish "${PEERID}" "/ipfs/$HASH_WELCOME_DOCS" >actual_node_id_publish
+'
+
+test_expect_success "publish with our explicit node ID looks good" '
+	echo "Published to ${PEERID}: /ipfs/$HASH_WELCOME_DOCS" >expected_node_id_publish &&
+	test_cmp expected_node_id_publish actual_node_id_publish
+'
+
 test_done