diff --git a/packages/babel-parser/src/plugins/flow/index.js b/packages/babel-parser/src/plugins/flow/index.js
index 437acdb847d5..44c45b0bfbb4 100644
--- a/packages/babel-parser/src/plugins/flow/index.js
+++ b/packages/babel-parser/src/plugins/flow/index.js
@@ -1818,11 +1818,7 @@ export default (superClass: Class<Parser>): Class<Parser> =>
     // interfaces and enums
     parseStatement(context: ?string, topLevel?: boolean): N.Statement {
       // strict mode handling of `interface` since it's a reserved word
-      if (
-        this.state.strict &&
-        tokenIsIdentifier(this.state.type) &&
-        this.state.value === "interface"
-      ) {
+      if (this.state.strict && this.isContextual(tt._interface)) {
         const lookahead = this.lookahead();
         if (tokenIsKeywordOrIdentifier(lookahead.type)) {
           const node = this.startNode();
@@ -2651,8 +2647,7 @@ export default (superClass: Class<Parser>): Class<Parser> =>
         const as_ident = this.parseIdentifier(true);
         if (
           specifierTypeKind !== null &&
-          !tokenIsIdentifier(this.state.type) &&
-          !tokenIsKeyword(this.state.type)
+          !tokenIsKeywordOrIdentifier(this.state.type)
         ) {
           // `import {type as ,` or `import {type as }`
           specifier.imported = as_ident;
@@ -2667,8 +2662,7 @@ export default (superClass: Class<Parser>): Class<Parser> =>
       } else {
         if (
           specifierTypeKind !== null &&
-          (tokenIsIdentifier(this.state.type) ||
-            tokenIsKeyword(this.state.type))
+          tokenIsKeywordOrIdentifier(this.state.type)
         ) {
           // `import {type foo`
           specifier.imported = this.parseIdentifier(true);
diff --git a/packages/babel-parser/test/fixtures/flow/interface-types/escape-in-interface/input.js b/packages/babel-parser/test/fixtures/flow/interface-types/escape-in-interface/input.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b2451f12687c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel-parser/test/fixtures/flow/interface-types/escape-in-interface/input.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+interf\u{61}ce A {}
diff --git a/packages/babel-parser/test/fixtures/flow/interface-types/escape-in-interface/output.json b/packages/babel-parser/test/fixtures/flow/interface-types/escape-in-interface/output.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..58f646e999a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel-parser/test/fixtures/flow/interface-types/escape-in-interface/output.json
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+{
+  "type": "File",
+  "start":0,"end":19,"loc":{"start":{"line":1,"column":0},"end":{"line":1,"column":19}},
+  "errors": [
+    "SyntaxError: Unexpected reserved word 'interface'. (1:0)"
+  ],
+  "program": {
+    "type": "Program",
+    "start":0,"end":19,"loc":{"start":{"line":1,"column":0},"end":{"line":1,"column":19}},
+    "sourceType": "module",
+    "interpreter": null,
+    "body": [
+      {
+        "type": "InterfaceDeclaration",
+        "start":0,"end":19,"loc":{"start":{"line":1,"column":0},"end":{"line":1,"column":19}},
+        "id": {
+          "type": "Identifier",
+          "start":15,"end":16,"loc":{"start":{"line":1,"column":15},"end":{"line":1,"column":16},"identifierName":"A"},
+          "name": "A"
+        },
+        "typeParameters": null,
+        "extends": [],
+        "implements": [],
+        "mixins": [],
+        "body": {
+          "type": "ObjectTypeAnnotation",
+          "start":17,"end":19,"loc":{"start":{"line":1,"column":17},"end":{"line":1,"column":19}},
+          "callProperties": [],
+          "properties": [],
+          "indexers": [],
+          "internalSlots": [],
+          "exact": false
+        }
+      }
+    ],
+    "directives": []
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file