diff --git a/django/template/defaulttags.py b/django/template/defaulttags.py
index 813e5dbed6..9eae75b8ef 100644
--- a/django/template/defaulttags.py
+++ b/django/template/defaulttags.py
@@ -926,20 +926,18 @@ def regroup(parser, token):
         {% regroup people|dictsort:"gender" by gender as grouped %}
 
     """
-    firstbits = token.contents.split(None, 3)
-    if len(firstbits) != 4:
+    bits = token.contents.split()
+    if len(bits) != 6:
         raise TemplateSyntaxError, "'regroup' tag takes five arguments"
-    target = parser.compile_filter(firstbits[1])
-    if firstbits[2] != 'by':
+    target = parser.compile_filter(bits[1])
+    if bits[2] != 'by':
         raise TemplateSyntaxError("second argument to 'regroup' tag must be 'by'")
-    lastbits_reversed = firstbits[3][::-1].split(None, 2)
-    if lastbits_reversed[1][::-1] != 'as':
+    if bits[4] != 'as':
         raise TemplateSyntaxError("next-to-last argument to 'regroup' tag must"
                                   " be 'as'")
 
-    expression = parser.compile_filter(lastbits_reversed[2][::-1])
-
-    var_name = lastbits_reversed[0][::-1]
+    expression = parser.compile_filter(bits[3])
+    var_name = bits[5]
     return RegroupNode(target, expression, var_name)
 regroup = register.tag(regroup)
 
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
index 846023afc9..bbe3902f5b 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
@@ -807,6 +807,16 @@ class Templates(unittest.TestCase):
                           '{% endfor %},' + \
                           '{% endfor %}',
                           {}, ''),
+            
+            # Test syntax.
+            'regroup03': ('{% regroup data by bar as %}', {},
+                          template.TemplateSyntaxError),
+            'regroup04': ('{% regroup data by bar thisaintright grouped %}', {},
+                          template.TemplateSyntaxError),
+            'regroup05': ('{% regroup data thisaintright bar as grouped %}', {},
+                          template.TemplateSyntaxError),
+            'regroup06': ('{% regroup data by bar as grouped toomanyargs %}', {},
+                          template.TemplateSyntaxError),
 
             ### TEMPLATETAG TAG #######################################################
             'templatetag01': ('{% templatetag openblock %}', {}, '{%'),