diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5df8a5f..108ab8f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -84,6 +84,13 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- An explicit mapping key that is only a node property (`? &e` then `: &a`) now parses as an empty
+  key carrying that property, completing the empty-property-key work for the explicit-key form. The
+  block parser rejected the `:` after a property-only explicit key with an `expectedNode` error;
+  `parseNode` now treats a `:` in node position as an empty property-carrying key, the same node
+  `emitEmptyNodeOrThrow` already produced for a property at end of input. yaml-test-suite PW8X now
+  passes (parse-level 314/333 to 315/333); should-error rejections and value-level matches are
+  unchanged.
 - A block mapping key consisting only of a node property (`&a : v`, `!!str : v`) is now parsed as an
   empty implicit key carrying that property, the block analogue of the flow `{ !!str : v }` case. The
   scanner synthesized an empty mapping key only for a bare `: v` line; a line whose sole content
diff --git a/Sources/Parsing/TokenEventParser.swift b/Sources/Parsing/TokenEventParser.swift
index 68965dd..7b6c064 100644
--- a/Sources/Parsing/TokenEventParser.swift
+++ b/Sources/Parsing/TokenEventParser.swift
@@ -269,22 +269,40 @@ extension PureYAML.Parsing.TokenEventParser {
                 includeIndentedContinuation: false,
             )
         case let .scalar(value, style):
-            if try isCommentInterruptedScalar() {
-                return try rejectCommentInterruptedScalar()
-            }
-            _ = try cursor.advance()
-            let decoded = try decodeScalar(value, style: style, line: token.mark.line)
-            let mark = properties.mark ?? token.mark
-            try emit(.scalar(
-                value: decoded,
-                anchor: properties.anchor,
-                tag: properties.tag,
-                style: style,
-                mark: mark,
-            ))
-            return PureYAML.Parsing.NodeResult(kind: .scalar, endMark: token.endMark)
+            return try parseScalarNode(value: value, style: style, token: token, properties: properties)
+        case .mappingValue:
+            // An explicit key that is only properties before its `:` (`? &e` then `: v`) is an empty
+            // key carrying those properties. Emit the empty scalar without consuming the `:`, so the
+            // mapping machinery reads it as the value indicator. With no properties this is a misplaced
+            // `:`, which `emitEmptyNodeOrThrow` keeps as an error. (The implicit form `&e : v` never
+            // reaches here: the scanner synthesizes its empty key as an explicit scalar token.)
+            return try emitEmptyNodeOrThrow(properties: properties)
         default:
             throw PureYAML.Parsing.ParseError.expectedNode(line: token.mark.line, column: token.mark.column)
         }
     }
+
+    /// Emits a scalar node from a scalar token, applying any node properties. A plain scalar that the
+    /// scanner split around a comment (the comment-interrupted shape) is rejected rather than emitted.
+    mutating func parseScalarNode(
+        value: String,
+        style: PureYAML.Parsing.ScalarStyle,
+        token: PureYAML.Parsing.Token,
+        properties: PureYAML.Parsing.NodeProperties,
+    ) throws -> PureYAML.Parsing.NodeResult {
+        if try isCommentInterruptedScalar() {
+            return try rejectCommentInterruptedScalar()
+        }
+        _ = try cursor.advance()
+        let decoded = try decodeScalar(value, style: style, line: token.mark.line)
+        let mark = properties.mark ?? token.mark
+        try emit(.scalar(
+            value: decoded,
+            anchor: properties.anchor,
+            tag: properties.tag,
+            style: style,
+            mark: mark,
+        ))
+        return PureYAML.Parsing.NodeResult(kind: .scalar, endMark: token.endMark)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/ExplicitKeyTests.swift b/Tests/ExplicitKeyTests.swift
index 8396d49..1f358b9 100644
--- a/Tests/ExplicitKeyTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/ExplicitKeyTests.swift
@@ -31,4 +31,17 @@ struct ExplicitKeyTests {
             .init(key: "c", value: .string("d")),
         ])))
     }
+
+    @Test("An explicit key that is only a property is an empty key carrying it")
+    func test_explicitPropertyOnlyKey() throws {
+        // `? &e` is an anchored empty key, `: &a` an anchored empty value: an empty plain scalar
+        // resolves to the empty string as a key and to null as a value, the property binding to each
+        // during construction. The key is no longer rejected for having no scalar before its `:`.
+        #expect(try PureYAML.parse("? &e\n: &a\n") == .mapping(.init([
+            .init(keyNode: .string(""), value: .null),
+        ])))
+        #expect(try PureYAML.parse("? !!str\n: !!null\n") == .mapping(.init([
+            .init(keyNode: .string(""), value: .null),
+        ])))
+    }
 }