diff --git a/hgext/uncommit.py b/hgext/uncommit.py
--- a/hgext/uncommit.py
+++ b/hgext/uncommit.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
         ds.copy(src, dst)
 
 @command('uncommit',
-    [('', 'empty', False, _('allow an empty commit after uncommiting')),
+    [('', 'keep', False, _('allow an empty commit after uncommiting')),
     ] + commands.walkopts,
     _('[OPTION]... [FILE]...'))
 def uncommit(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
 
         with repo.transaction('uncommit'):
             match = scmutil.match(old, pats, opts)
-            newid = _commitfiltered(repo, old, match, opts.get('empty'))
+            newid = _commitfiltered(repo, old, match, opts.get('keep'))
             if newid is None:
                 ui.status(_("nothing to uncommit\n"))
                 return 1
diff --git a/tests/test-uncommit.t b/tests/test-uncommit.t
--- a/tests/test-uncommit.t
+++ b/tests/test-uncommit.t
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
   
   options ([+] can be repeated):
   
-      --empty               allow an empty commit after uncommiting
+      --keep                allow an empty commit after uncommiting
    -I --include PATTERN [+] include names matching the given patterns
    -X --exclude PATTERN [+] exclude names matching the given patterns
   
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@
   > P
   > EOS
   $ hg up Q -q
-  $ hg uncommit --empty
+  $ hg uncommit --keep
   $ hg log -G -T '{desc} FILES: {files}'
   @  Q FILES:
   |