diff --git a/PsyNeuLink/Components/Mechanisms/AdaptiveMechanisms/GatingMechanisms/GatingSignal.py b/PsyNeuLink/Components/Mechanisms/AdaptiveMechanisms/GatingMechanisms/GatingSignal.py
index d2e77d8d678..ee254ddeb1e 100644
--- a/PsyNeuLink/Components/Mechanisms/AdaptiveMechanisms/GatingMechanisms/GatingSignal.py
+++ b/PsyNeuLink/Components/Mechanisms/AdaptiveMechanisms/GatingMechanisms/GatingSignal.py
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ def _parse_gating_signal_spec(owner, state_spec):
     # Specification is a dict that could be for a single state state_spec or a list of ones
     elif isinstance(state_spec, dict):
 
+        # FIX: IS THIS NECESSARY? (GIVEN THE FUNCTIONALITY UNDER 'ELSE':  USE KEY AS NAME AND VALUE AS LIST OF STATES)
         # If it has a STATES entry, it must be for a list
         if STATES in state_spec:
             # Validate that the STATES entry has a list
@@ -481,10 +482,15 @@ def _parse_gating_signal_spec(owner, state_spec):
             # If there is a non-keyword key, treat as the name to be used for the GatingSignal,
             #    and the value a state spec or list of ones
             state_name = next((key for key in state_spec if not key in gating_signal_keywords), None)
+            key_as_name = explicit_name = None
             if state_name:
-                gating_signal_name = state_name
-                spec_dict = _parse_gating_signal_spec(owner, state_spec[gating_signal_name])
+                key_as_name = state_name
+                spec_dict = _parse_gating_signal_spec(owner, state_spec[key_as_name])
                 states = spec_dict[STATES]
+                # If there *IS* a NAME entry, then use that (i.e., override key as the name)
+                if NAME in state_spec:
+                    explicit_name = state_spec[NAME]
+                gating_signal_name = explicit_name or key_as_name
             # Otherwise, it must be for a single state state_spec,
             #    which means it must have a NAME and a MECHANISM entry:
             else:
@@ -503,9 +509,9 @@ def _parse_gating_signal_spec(owner, state_spec):
                 mech = state_spec[MECHANISM]
 
         # Check that all of the other entries in the dict are for valid GatingSignal params
-        #    - skip any entries specifying gating signal
+        #    - skip any entries specifying gating signal (i.e., non-keyword keys being used as the GatingSignal name
         #    - place others in params
-        for param_entry in [entry for entry in state_spec if not entry in {gating_signal_name, MECHANISM}]:
+        for param_entry in [entry for entry in state_spec if not entry in {gating_signal_name, key_as_name, MECHANISM}]:
             if not param_entry in gating_signal_keywords:
                 raise GatingSignalError("Entry in specification dictionary for {} arg of {} ({}) "
                                            "is not a valid {} parameter".
diff --git a/PsyNeuLink/Globals/Keywords.py b/PsyNeuLink/Globals/Keywords.py
index 167b9e49874..0f05e15efc7 100644
--- a/PsyNeuLink/Globals/Keywords.py
+++ b/PsyNeuLink/Globals/Keywords.py
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ def _names(self):
 GATING_SIGNAL = 'gating_signal'
 GATING_SIGNALS = 'gating_signals'
 GATING_SIGNAL_SPECS = 'GATING_SIGNAL_SPECS'
+GATE = 'GATE'
 GATED_STATE = "gated_state"
 GATING_PROJECTIONS = 'GatingProjections'
 GATING_POLICY = 'gating_policy'
diff --git a/Scripts/DEBUGGING SCRIPTS/Multilayer Learning Test Script [WITH GATING].py b/Scripts/DEBUGGING SCRIPTS/Multilayer Learning Test Script [WITH GATING].py
index ca89161e836..15d52470ff6 100644
--- a/Scripts/DEBUGGING SCRIPTS/Multilayer Learning Test Script [WITH GATING].py	
+++ b/Scripts/DEBUGGING SCRIPTS/Multilayer Learning Test Script [WITH GATING].py	
@@ -28,9 +28,17 @@
 
 Gating_Mechanism = GatingMechanism(default_gating_policy=1.0,
                                    gating_signals=[
-                                       Hidden_Layer_1,
-                                       Hidden_Layer_2,
-                                       Output_Layer
+                                       # THIS GENERATES ONE GATING SIGNAL WITH THREE PROJECTIONS:
+                                       {
+                                       # NAME: 'GATING SIGNAL EXPLICIT NAME',
+                                        'GATE_ALL': [Hidden_Layer_1,
+                                                     Hidden_Layer_2,
+                                                     Output_Layer]
+},
+                                       # THIS GENERATES THREE GATING SIGNALS EACH WITH ONE PROJECTION:
+                                       # Hidden_Layer_1,
+                                       # Hidden_Layer_2,
+                                       # Output_Layer
                                    ])
 
 
@@ -66,17 +74,17 @@
                                    # matrix=FULL_CONNECTIVITY_MATRIX
                                    # matrix=RANDOM_CONNECTIVITY_MATRIX
                                    # # MODIFIED 6/11/17 OLD:
-                                    matrix=Middle_Weights_matrix
+                                   #  matrix=Middle_Weights_matrix
                                    # # MODIFIED 6/11/17 NEW:
-                                   # matrix={VALUE:Middle_Weights_matrix,
-                                   #         # FUNCTION:Linear,
-                                   #         FUNCTION:ConstantIntegrator,
-                                   #         FUNCTION_PARAMS:{
-                                   #             INITIALIZER:Middle_Weights_matrix,
-                                   #             RATE:Middle_Weights_matrix},
-                                   #         # FUNCTION:ConstantIntegrator(rate=Middle_Weights_matrix)
-                                   #         # MODULATION:ADDITIVE_PARAM
-                                   #         }
+                                   matrix={VALUE:Middle_Weights_matrix,
+                                           FUNCTION:Linear,
+                                           # FUNCTION:ConstantIntegrator,
+                                           # FUNCTION_PARAMS:{
+                                           #     INITIALIZER:Middle_Weights_matrix,
+                                           #     RATE:Middle_Weights_matrix},
+                                           # FUNCTION:ConstantIntegrator(rate=Middle_Weights_matrix)
+                                           # MODULATION:ADDITIVE_PARAM
+                                           }
                                    # MODIFIED 6/11/17 END:
                                    )