diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py b/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
index 3bd048593..63837c8a2 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -117,10 +117,10 @@ def test_invalid_arguments(shutdown_only):
     for opt in [np.random.randint(-100, -1), np.random.uniform(0, 1)]:
         with pytest.raises(
                 ValueError,
-                match="The keyword 'num_return_vals' only accepts 0 or a"
+                match="The keyword 'num_returns' only accepts 0 or a"
                 " positive integer"):
 
-            @ray.remote(num_return_vals=opt)
+            @ray.remote(num_returns=opt)
             def g1():
                 return 1
 
diff --git a/python/ray/worker.py b/python/ray/worker.py
index 3f2e03cee..9feb9c148 100644
--- a/python/ray/worker.py
+++ b/python/ray/worker.py
@@ -1665,10 +1665,10 @@ def make_decorator(num_returns=None,
             if max_task_retries is not None:
                 raise ValueError("The keyword 'max_task_retries' is not "
                                  "allowed for remote functions.")
-            if num_return_vals is not None and (not isinstance(
-                    num_return_vals, int) or num_return_vals < 0):
+            if num_returns is not None and (not isinstance(num_returns, int)
+                                            or num_returns < 0):
                 raise ValueError(
-                    "The keyword 'num_return_vals' only accepts 0 or a"
+                    "The keyword 'num_returns' only accepts 0 or a"
                     " positive integer")
             if max_retries is not None and (not isinstance(max_retries, int)
                                             or max_retries < -1):