diff --git a/core/commands/publish.go b/core/commands/publish.go
index 63462950908..9db8b7bcc60 100644
--- a/core/commands/publish.go
+++ b/core/commands/publish.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 	cmds "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/commands"
 	core "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core"
+	keystore "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/keystore"
 	path "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/path"
 
 	crypto "gx/ipfs/QmP1DfoUjiWH2ZBo1PBH6FupdBucbDepx3HpWmEY6JMUpY/go-libp2p-crypto"
@@ -48,6 +49,11 @@ Publish an <ipfs-path> with another name, added by an 'ipfs key' command:
   > ipfs name publish --key=mykey /ipfs/QmatmE9msSfkKxoffpHwNLNKgwZG8eT9Bud6YoPab52vpy
   Published to QmbCMUZw6JFeZ7Wp9jkzbye3Fzp2GGcPgC3nmeUjfVF87n: /ipfs/QmatmE9msSfkKxoffpHwNLNKgwZG8eT9Bud6YoPab52vpy
 
+Alternatively, publish an <ipfs-path> using a valid PeerID(as listed by 'ipfs key list -l'):
+
+ > ipfs name publish --key=QmbCMUZw6JFeZ7Wp9jkzbye3Fzp2GGcPgC3nmeUjfVF87n /ipfs/QmatmE9msSfkKxoffpHwNLNKgwZG8eT9Bud6YoPab52vpy
+  Published to QmbCMUZw6JFeZ7Wp9jkzbye3Fzp2GGcPgC3nmeUjfVF87n: /ipfs/QmatmE9msSfkKxoffpHwNLNKgwZG8eT9Bud6YoPab52vpy
+
 `,
 	},
 
@@ -61,7 +67,7 @@ Publish an <ipfs-path> with another name, added by an 'ipfs key' command:
     This accepts durations such as "300s", "1.5h" or "2h45m". Valid time units are
     "ns", "us" (or "µs"), "ms", "s", "m", "h".`).Default("24h"),
 		cmds.StringOption("ttl", "Time duration this record should be cached for (caution: experimental)."),
-		cmds.StringOption("key", "k", "Name of the key to be used, as listed by 'ipfs key list'. Default: <<default>>.").Default("self"),
+		cmds.StringOption("key", "k", "Name of the key to be used or a valid PeerID, as listed by 'ipfs key list -l'. Default: <<default>>.").Default("self"),
 	},
 	Run: func(req cmds.Request, res cmds.Response) {
 		log.Debug("begin publish")
@@ -116,7 +122,7 @@ Publish an <ipfs-path> with another name, added by an 'ipfs key' command:
 		}
 
 		kname, _, _ := req.Option("key").String()
-		k, err := n.GetKey(kname)
+		k, err := keylookup(n, kname)
 		if err != nil {
 			res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
 			return
@@ -176,3 +182,40 @@ func publish(ctx context.Context, n *core.IpfsNode, k crypto.PrivKey, ref path.P
 		Value: ref.String(),
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func keylookup(n *core.IpfsNode, k string) (crypto.PrivKey, error) {
+
+	res, err := n.GetKey(k)
+	if res != nil {
+		return res, nil
+	}
+
+	if err != nil && err != keystore.ErrNoSuchKey {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	keys, err := n.Repo.Keystore().List()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	for _, key := range keys {
+		privKey, err := n.Repo.Keystore().Get(key)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		pubKey := privKey.GetPublic()
+
+		pid, err := peer.IDFromPublicKey(pubKey)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		if pid.Pretty() == k {
+			return privKey, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("no key by the given name or PeerID was found")
+}
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh b/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh
index 688dcbd1ef3..38dcc27f34e 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0100-name.sh
@@ -74,4 +74,20 @@ test_expect_failure "publish with our explicit node ID looks good" '
 	test_cmp expected_node_id_publish actual_node_id_publish
 '
 
+# publish with an explicit node ID as key name
+
+test_expect_success "generate and verify a new key" '
+	NEWID=`ipfs key gen --type=rsa --size=2048 keyname` &&
+	test_check_peerid "${NEWID}"
+'
+
+test_expect_success "'ipfs name publish --key=<peer-id> <hash>' succeeds" '
+	ipfs name publish --key=${NEWID} "/ipfs/$HASH_WELCOME_DOCS" >actual_node_id_publish
+'
+
+test_expect_success "publish an explicit node ID as key name looks good" '
+	echo "Published to ${NEWID}: /ipfs/$HASH_WELCOME_DOCS" >expected_node_id_publish &&
+	test_cmp expected_node_id_publish actual_node_id_publish
+'
+
 test_done