diff --git a/compiler/rustc_attr_parsing/src/attributes/allow_unstable.rs b/compiler/rustc_attr_parsing/src/attributes/allow_unstable.rs
index c2511ac75d5d2..c2bf70534ad3e 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_attr_parsing/src/attributes/allow_unstable.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_attr_parsing/src/attributes/allow_unstable.rs
@@ -91,14 +91,29 @@ fn parse_unstable<S: Stage>(
 
     for param in list.mixed() {
         let param_span = param.span();
-        if let Some(ident) = param.meta_item().and_then(|i| i.path().word()) {
-            res.push(ident.name);
-        } else {
+        let fail = || {
             cx.emit_err(session_diagnostics::ExpectsFeatures {
                 span: param_span,
                 name: symbol.to_ident_string(),
-            });
-        }
+            })
+        };
+
+        let Some(meta_item) = param.meta_item() else {
+            fail();
+            continue;
+        };
+
+        let Ok(()) = meta_item.args().no_args() else {
+            fail();
+            continue;
+        };
+
+        let Some(ident) = meta_item.path().word() else {
+            fail();
+            continue;
+        };
+
+        res.push(ident.name);
     }
 
     res
diff --git a/tests/ui/attributes/allow-internal-unstable-name-value.rs b/tests/ui/attributes/allow-internal-unstable-name-value.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..a05a53d352b6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/attributes/allow-internal-unstable-name-value.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#![feature(allow_internal_unstable)]
+#![allow(internal_features)]
+
+#[allow_internal_unstable(cat = "meow")] //~ ERROR `allow_internal_unstable` expects feature names
+macro_rules! foo {
+    () => {}
+}
+
+fn main() {}
diff --git a/tests/ui/attributes/allow-internal-unstable-name-value.stderr b/tests/ui/attributes/allow-internal-unstable-name-value.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..f0adc556993b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/attributes/allow-internal-unstable-name-value.stderr
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+error: `allow_internal_unstable` expects feature names
+  --> $DIR/allow-internal-unstable-name-value.rs:4:27
+   |
+LL | #[allow_internal_unstable(cat = "meow")]
+   |                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+error: aborting due to 1 previous error
+