diff --git a/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactChildReconciler.js b/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactChildReconciler.js
index 634b3444c715b..5b12703f522f1 100644
--- a/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactChildReconciler.js
+++ b/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactChildReconciler.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 var ReactReconciler = require('ReactReconciler');
 
 var instantiateReactComponent = require('instantiateReactComponent');
+var KeyEscapeUtils = require('KeyEscapeUtils');
 var shouldUpdateReactComponent = require('shouldUpdateReactComponent');
 var traverseAllChildren = require('traverseAllChildren');
 var warning = require('warning');
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ function instantiateChild(childInstances, child, name) {
       'flattenChildren(...): Encountered two children with the same key, ' +
       '`%s`. Child keys must be unique; when two children share a key, only ' +
       'the first child will be used.',
-      name
+      KeyEscapeUtils.unescape(name)
     );
   }
   if (child != null && keyUnique) {
diff --git a/src/shared/utils/KeyEscapeUtils.js b/src/shared/utils/KeyEscapeUtils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..710068f770448
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/utils/KeyEscapeUtils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2013-present, Facebook, Inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree. An additional grant
+ * of patent rights can be found in the PATENTS file in the same directory.
+ *
+ * @providesModule KeyEscapeUtils
+ */
+
+'use strict';
+
+/**
+ * Escape and wrap key so it is safe to use as a reactid
+ *
+ * @param {*} key to be escaped.
+ * @return {string} the escaped key.
+ */
+function escape(key) {
+  var escapeRegex = /[=:]/g;
+  var escaperLookup = {
+    '=': '=0',
+    ':': '=2',
+  };
+  var escapedString = ('' + key).replace(
+    escapeRegex,
+    function(match) {
+      return escaperLookup[match];
+    }
+  );
+
+  return '$' + escapedString;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Unescape and unwrap key for human-readable display
+ *
+ * @param {string} key to unescape.
+ * @return {string} the unescaped key.
+ */
+function unescape(key) {
+  var unescapeRegex = /(=0|=2)/g;
+  var unescaperLookup = {
+    '=0': '=',
+    '=2': ':',
+  };
+  var keySubstring = (key[0] === '.' && key[1] === '$')
+    ? key.substring(2) : key.substring(1);
+
+  return ('' + keySubstring).replace(
+    unescapeRegex,
+    function(match) {
+      return unescaperLookup[match];
+    }
+  );
+}
+
+var KeyEscapeUtils = {
+  escape: escape,
+  unescape: unescape,
+};
+
+module.exports = KeyEscapeUtils;
diff --git a/src/shared/utils/__tests__/KeyEscapeUtils-test.js b/src/shared/utils/__tests__/KeyEscapeUtils-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..eed9f46785b6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/utils/__tests__/KeyEscapeUtils-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2013-present, Facebook, Inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree. An additional grant
+ * of patent rights can be found in the PATENTS file in the same directory.
+ *
+ * @emails react-core
+ */
+
+'use strict';
+
+var KeyEscapeUtils;
+
+describe('KeyEscapeUtils', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.resetModuleRegistry();
+
+    KeyEscapeUtils = require('KeyEscapeUtils');
+  });
+
+  describe('escape', () => {
+    it('should properly escape and wrap user defined keys', () => {
+      expect(KeyEscapeUtils.escape('1')).toBe('$1');
+      expect(KeyEscapeUtils.escape('1=::=2')).toBe('$1=0=2=2=02');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('unescape', () => {
+    it('should properly unescape and unwrap user defined keys', () => {
+      expect(KeyEscapeUtils.unescape('.1')).toBe('1');
+      expect(KeyEscapeUtils.unescape('$1')).toBe('1');
+      expect(KeyEscapeUtils.unescape('.$1')).toBe('1');
+      expect(KeyEscapeUtils.unescape('$1=0=2=2=02')).toBe('1=::=2');
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/shared/utils/flattenChildren.js b/src/shared/utils/flattenChildren.js
index b25d399fa84e2..771134edf8776 100644
--- a/src/shared/utils/flattenChildren.js
+++ b/src/shared/utils/flattenChildren.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var KeyEscapeUtils = require('KeyEscapeUtils');
 var traverseAllChildren = require('traverseAllChildren');
 var warning = require('warning');
 
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ function flattenSingleChildIntoContext(traverseContext, child, name) {
       'flattenChildren(...): Encountered two children with the same key, ' +
       '`%s`. Child keys must be unique; when two children share a key, only ' +
       'the first child will be used.',
-      name
+      KeyEscapeUtils.unescape(name)
     );
   }
   if (keyUnique && child != null) {
diff --git a/src/shared/utils/traverseAllChildren.js b/src/shared/utils/traverseAllChildren.js
index be0dcc0fd2baf..7d03dc02d1792 100644
--- a/src/shared/utils/traverseAllChildren.js
+++ b/src/shared/utils/traverseAllChildren.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ var ReactElement = require('ReactElement');
 
 var getIteratorFn = require('getIteratorFn');
 var invariant = require('invariant');
+var KeyEscapeUtils = require('KeyEscapeUtils');
 var warning = require('warning');
 
 var SEPARATOR = '.';
@@ -26,19 +27,8 @@ var SUBSEPARATOR = ':';
  * pattern.
  */
 
-var userProvidedKeyEscaperLookup = {
-  '=': '=0',
-  ':': '=2',
-};
-
-var userProvidedKeyEscapeRegex = /[=:]/g;
-
 var didWarnAboutMaps = false;
 
-function userProvidedKeyEscaper(match) {
-  return userProvidedKeyEscaperLookup[match];
-}
-
 /**
  * Generate a key string that identifies a component within a set.
  *
@@ -51,36 +41,12 @@ function getComponentKey(component, index) {
   // that we don't block potential future ES APIs.
   if (component && typeof component === 'object' && component.key != null) {
     // Explicit key
-    return wrapUserProvidedKey(component.key);
+    return KeyEscapeUtils.escape(component.key);
   }
   // Implicit key determined by the index in the set
   return index.toString(36);
 }
 
-/**
- * Escape a component key so that it is safe to use in a reactid.
- *
- * @param {*} text Component key to be escaped.
- * @return {string} An escaped string.
- */
-function escapeUserProvidedKey(text) {
-  return ('' + text).replace(
-    userProvidedKeyEscapeRegex,
-    userProvidedKeyEscaper
-  );
-}
-
-/**
- * Wrap a `key` value explicitly provided by the user to distinguish it from
- * implicitly-generated keys generated by a component's index in its parent.
- *
- * @param {string} key Value of a user-provided `key` attribute
- * @return {string}
- */
-function wrapUserProvidedKey(key) {
-  return '$' + escapeUserProvidedKey(key);
-}
-
 /**
  * @param {?*} children Children tree container.
  * @param {!string} nameSoFar Name of the key path so far.
@@ -166,7 +132,7 @@ function traverseAllChildrenImpl(
             child = entry[1];
             nextName = (
               nextNamePrefix +
-              wrapUserProvidedKey(entry[0]) + SUBSEPARATOR +
+              KeyEscapeUtils.escape(entry[0]) + SUBSEPARATOR +
               getComponentKey(child, 0)
             );
             subtreeCount += traverseAllChildrenImpl(