diff --git a/internal/base/internal.go b/internal/base/internal.go
index e364508ba0..baf47a6395 100644
--- a/internal/base/internal.go
+++ b/internal/base/internal.go
@@ -292,23 +292,6 @@ var kindsMap = map[string]InternalKeyKind{
 	"DELSIZED":      InternalKeyKindDeleteSized,
 }
 
-// ParseInternalKey parses the string representation of an internal key. The
-// format is <user-key>.<kind>.<seq-num>. If the seq-num starts with a "b" it
-// is marked as a batch-seq-num (i.e. the SeqNumBatchBit bit is set).
-func ParseInternalKey(s string) InternalKey {
-	x := strings.Split(s, ".")
-	if len(x) != 3 {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("invalid internal key %q", s))
-	}
-	ukey := x[0]
-	kind, ok := kindsMap[x[1]]
-	if !ok {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown kind: %q", x[1]))
-	}
-	seqNum := ParseSeqNum(x[2])
-	return MakeInternalKey([]byte(ukey), seqNum, kind)
-}
-
 // ParseSeqNum parses the string representation of a sequence number.
 // "inf" is supported as the maximum sequence number (mainly used for exclusive
 // end keys).
@@ -541,11 +524,32 @@ func (k prettyInternalKey) Format(s fmt.State, c rune) {
 	fmt.Fprintf(s, "%s#%s,%s", k.formatKey(k.UserKey), k.SeqNum(), k.Kind())
 }
 
-// ParsePrettyInternalKey parses the pretty string representation of an
-// internal key. The format is <user-key>#<seq-num>,<kind>.
-// TODO(radu): do we need both ParseInternalKey and ParsePrettyInternalKey?
-func ParsePrettyInternalKey(s string) InternalKey {
+// ParseInternalKey parses the string representation of an internal key. The
+// format is <user-key>#<seq-num>,<kind>. The older format
+// <user-key>.<kind>.<seq-num> is also supported (for now).
+//
+// If the seq-num starts with a "b" it is marked as a batch-seq-num (i.e. the
+// SeqNumBatchBit bit is set).
+func ParseInternalKey(s string) InternalKey {
+	if !strings.Contains(s, "#") {
+		// Parse the old format: <user-key>.<kind>.<seq-num>
+		// TODO(radu): get rid of this.
+		x := strings.Split(s, ".")
+		if len(x) != 3 {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("invalid internal key %q", s))
+		}
+		ukey := x[0]
+		kind, ok := kindsMap[x[1]]
+		if !ok {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown kind: %q", x[1]))
+		}
+		seqNum := ParseSeqNum(x[2])
+		return MakeInternalKey([]byte(ukey), seqNum, kind)
+	}
 	x := strings.FieldsFunc(s, func(c rune) bool { return c == '#' || c == ',' })
+	if len(x) != 3 {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("invalid key internal %q", s))
+	}
 	userKey := []byte(x[0])
 	seqNum := ParseSeqNum(x[1])
 	kind, ok := kindsMap[x[2]]
@@ -565,7 +569,7 @@ func ParseInternalKeyRange(s string) (start, end InternalKey) {
 	if !ok1 || !ok2 || len(x) != 2 {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("invalid key range %q", s))
 	}
-	return ParsePrettyInternalKey(x[0]), ParsePrettyInternalKey(x[1])
+	return ParseInternalKey(x[0]), ParseInternalKey(x[1])
 }
 
 // MakeInternalKV constructs an InternalKV with the provided internal key and
diff --git a/internal/manifest/testutils.go b/internal/manifest/testutils.go
index 6a608d7ddf..c2c3be32c0 100644
--- a/internal/manifest/testutils.go
+++ b/internal/manifest/testutils.go
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func (p *debugParser) DiskFileNum() base.DiskFileNum {
 
 // InternalKey parses the next token as an internal key.
 func (p *debugParser) InternalKey() base.InternalKey {
-	return base.ParsePrettyInternalKey(p.Next())
+	return base.ParseInternalKey(p.Next())
 }
 
 // Errf panics with an error which includes the original string and the last
diff --git a/sstable/colblk/data_block_test.go b/sstable/colblk/data_block_test.go
index 38eefb54d9..112dfb6916 100644
--- a/sstable/colblk/data_block_test.go
+++ b/sstable/colblk/data_block_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func TestDataBlock(t *testing.T) {
 			case "write":
 				for _, line := range strings.Split(td.Input, "\n") {
 					j := strings.IndexRune(line, ':')
-					ik := base.ParsePrettyInternalKey(line[:j])
+					ik := base.ParseInternalKey(line[:j])
 
 					kcmp := w.KeyWriter.ComparePrev(ik.UserKey)
 					valueString := line[j+1:]