diff --git a/lib/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax.rb b/lib/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax.rb
index 1669c030680d..57c11510f165 100644
--- a/lib/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax.rb
+++ b/lib/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax.rb
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ def word_symbol_pair?(pair)
         end
 
         def valid_19_syntax_symbol?(sym_name)
-          return false if sym_name =~ /\A:["']/
           sym_name.sub!(/\A:/, '')
           RuboCop::ProcessedSource.new("{ #{sym_name}: :foo }").valid_syntax?
         end
diff --git a/spec/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax_spec.rb b/spec/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax_spec.rb
index 211d51b22611..273213c7b076 100644
--- a/spec/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/rubocop/cop/style/hash_syntax_spec.rb
@@ -41,9 +41,18 @@
         expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
       end
 
-      it 'accepts hash rockets when symbol keys have string in them' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"string" => 0 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+      context 'ruby < 2.2', ruby_less_than: 2.2 do
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when symbol keys have string in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"string" => 0 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'ruby >= 2.2', ruby_greater_than_or_equal: 2.2 do
+        it 'registers an offense when symbol keys have strings in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"string" => 0 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(['Use the new Ruby 1.9 hash syntax.'])
+        end
       end
 
       it 'accepts hash rockets when symbol keys end with =' do
@@ -283,37 +292,57 @@
         expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
       end
 
-      it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have whitespaces in them' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, :b => 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
-      end
+      context 'ruby < 2.2', ruby_less_than: 2.2 do
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have whitespaces in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, :b => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        end
 
-      it 'registers an offense when keys have whitespaces and mix styles' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, b: 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
-        expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
-      end
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have whitespaces and mix styles' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, b: 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
+          expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+        end
 
-      it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have special symbols in them' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, :b => 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
-      end
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have special symbols in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, :b => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        end
 
-      it 'registers an offense when keys have special symbols and mix styles' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, b: 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
-        expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
-      end
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have special symbols and '\
+          'mix styles' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, b: 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
+          expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+        end
 
-      it 'accepts hash rockets when keys start with a digit' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, :b => 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys start with a digit' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, :b => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        end
+
+        it 'registers an offense when keys start with a digit and mix styles' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, b: 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
+          expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+        end
       end
 
-      it 'registers an offense when keys start with a digit and mix styles' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, b: 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
-        expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+      context 'ruby >= 2.2', ruby_greater_than_or_equal: 2.2 do
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have whitespaces in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(['Use the new Ruby 1.9 hash syntax.'])
+        end
+
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have special symbols in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(['Use the new Ruby 1.9 hash syntax.'])
+        end
+
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys start with a digit' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(['Use the new Ruby 1.9 hash syntax.'])
+        end
       end
 
       it 'auto-corrects old to new style' do
@@ -399,37 +428,57 @@
         expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
       end
 
-      it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have whitespaces in them' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, :b => 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
-      end
-
-      it 'registers an offense when keys have whitespaces and mix styles' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, b: 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
-        expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
-      end
-
-      it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have special symbols in them' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, :b => 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
-      end
-
-      it 'registers an offense when keys have special symbols and mix styles' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, b: 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
-        expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
-      end
-
-      it 'accepts hash rockets when keys start with a digit' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, :b => 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
-      end
-
-      it 'registers an offense when keys start with a digit and mix styles' do
-        inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, b: 1 }')
-        expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
-        expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+      context 'ruby < 2.2', ruby_less_than: 2.2 do
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have whitespaces in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, :b => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        end
+
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have whitespaces and mix styles' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0, b: 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
+          expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+        end
+
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys have special symbols in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, :b => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        end
+
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have special symbols and ' \
+          'mix styles' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1, b: 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
+          expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+        end
+
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys start with a digit' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, :b => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to be_empty
+        end
+
+        it 'registers an offense when keys start with a digit and mix styles' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1, b: 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(["Don't mix styles in the same hash."])
+          expect(cop.config_to_allow_offenses).to eq('Enabled' => false)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'ruby >= 2.2', ruby_greater_than_or_equal: 2.2 do
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have whitespaces in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"t o" => 0 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(['Use the new Ruby 1.9 hash syntax.'])
+        end
+
+        it 'registers an offense when keys have special symbols in them' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"\tab" => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(['Use the new Ruby 1.9 hash syntax.'])
+        end
+
+        it 'accepts hash rockets when keys start with a digit' do
+          inspect_source(cop, 'x = { :"1" => 1 }')
+          expect(cop.messages).to eq(['Use the new Ruby 1.9 hash syntax.'])
+        end
       end
 
       it 'auto-corrects old to new style' do
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 7f5ac13cf685..f2e3ad0c47a5 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -21,6 +21,20 @@
 
   config.filter_run_excluding ruby: ->(v) { !RUBY_VERSION.start_with?(v.to_s) }
 
+  ruby_version = Gem::Version.new(RUBY_VERSION)
+  config.filter_run_excluding ruby_less_than: (lambda do |v|
+    ruby_version >= Gem::Version.new(v)
+  end)
+  config.filter_run_excluding ruby_less_than: (lambda do |v|
+    ruby_version >= Gem::Version.new(v)
+  end)
+  config.filter_run_excluding ruby_greater_than_or_equal: (lambda do |v|
+    ruby_version < Gem::Version.new(v)
+  end)
+  config.filter_run_excluding ruby_greater_than_or_equal: (lambda do |v|
+    ruby_version < Gem::Version.new(v)
+  end)
+
   broken_filter = lambda do |v|
     v.is_a?(Symbol) ? RUBY_ENGINE == v.to_s : v
   end