diff --git a/src/compiler/emitter.ts b/src/compiler/emitter.ts
index 372389f9c4a..84d6f091039 100644
--- a/src/compiler/emitter.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/emitter.ts
@@ -1592,7 +1592,7 @@ var __awaiter = (this && this.__awaiter) || function (thisArg, _arguments, Promi
                 /// these emit into an object literal property name, we don't need to be worried
                 /// about keywords, just non-identifier characters
                 function emitAttributeName(name: Identifier) {
-                    if (/^[A-Za-z_]+[\w]*$/.test(name.text)) {
+                    if (/^[A-Za-z_]\w*$/.test(name.text)) {
                         emit(name);
                     }
                     else {