diff --git a/lib/liquid/tags/cycle.rb b/lib/liquid/tags/cycle.rb
index 00695265d..2514bf3ba 100644
--- a/lib/liquid/tags/cycle.rb
+++ b/lib/liquid/tags/cycle.rb
@@ -26,14 +26,20 @@ def initialize(tag_name, markup, options)
       when NamedSyntax
         @variables = variables_from_string(Regexp.last_match(2))
         @name      = parse_expression(Regexp.last_match(1))
+        @is_named = true
       when SimpleSyntax
         @variables = variables_from_string(markup)
         @name      = @variables.to_s
+        @is_named = !@name.match?(/\w+:0x\h{8}/)
       else
         raise SyntaxError, options[:locale].t("errors.syntax.cycle")
       end
     end
 
+    def named?
+      @is_named
+    end
+
     def render_to_output_buffer(context, output)
       context.registers[:cycle] ||= {}