diff --git a/src/compiler/codegen/events.js b/src/compiler/codegen/events.js
index 7bfe5ec1c5f..7f7954dd96d 100644
--- a/src/compiler/codegen/events.js
+++ b/src/compiler/codegen/events.js
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 const fnExpRE = /^\s*([\w$_]+|\([^)]*?\))\s*=>|^function\s*\(/
 const simplePathRE = /^\s*[A-Za-z_$][\w$]*(?:\.[A-Za-z_$][\w$]*|\['.*?']|\[".*?"]|\[\d+]|\[[A-Za-z_$][\w$]*])*\s*$/
 
+const keyboardEvents = [
+  'keydown',
+  'keyup',
+  'keypress'
+]
+
 // keyCode aliases
 const keyCodes: { [key: string]: number | Array<number> } = {
   esc: 27,
@@ -29,9 +35,15 @@ const modifierCode: { [key: string]: string } = {
   shift: genGuard(`!$event.shiftKey`),
   alt: genGuard(`!$event.altKey`),
   meta: genGuard(`!$event.metaKey`),
-  left: genGuard(`'button' in $event && $event.button !== 0`),
-  middle: genGuard(`'button' in $event && $event.button !== 1`),
-  right: genGuard(`'button' in $event && $event.button !== 2`)
+  primary: genGuard(`'button' in $event && $event.button !== 0`),
+  auxiliary: genGuard(`'button' in $event && $event.button !== 1`),
+  secondary: genGuard(`'button' in $event && $event.button !== 2`)
+}
+
+const deprecatedPointerModifierAliases: { [key: string]: string } = {
+  left: 'primary',
+  middle: 'auxiliary',
+  right: 'secondary'
 }
 
 export function genHandlers (
@@ -41,21 +53,22 @@ export function genHandlers (
 ): string {
   let res = isNative ? 'nativeOn:{' : 'on:{'
   for (const name in events) {
-    res += `"${name}":${genHandler(name, events[name])},`
+    res += `"${name}":${genHandler(name, events[name], warn)},`
   }
   return res.slice(0, -1) + '}'
 }
 
 function genHandler (
   name: string,
-  handler: ASTElementHandler | Array<ASTElementHandler>
+  handler: ASTElementHandler | Array<ASTElementHandler>,
+  warn: Function
 ): string {
   if (!handler) {
     return 'function(){}'
   }
 
   if (Array.isArray(handler)) {
-    return `[${handler.map(handler => genHandler(name, handler)).join(',')}]`
+    return `[${handler.map(handler => genHandler(name, handler, warn)).join(',')}]`
   }
 
   const isMethodPath = simplePathRE.test(handler.value)
@@ -70,12 +83,18 @@ function genHandler (
     let genModifierCode = ''
     const keys = []
     for (const key in handler.modifiers) {
-      if (modifierCode[key]) {
-        genModifierCode += modifierCode[key]
-        // left/right
-        if (keyCodes[key]) {
+      if (deprecatedPointerModifierAliases[key]) {
+        // left/right modifierCodes (for mouse) collide with left/right keyCodes
+        if (keyCodes[key] && keyboardEvents.indexOf(name) >= 0) {
           keys.push(key)
+        } else {
+          process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production' && warn(
+            `Pointer modifier "${key}" is deprecated. Use "${deprecatedPointerModifierAliases[key]}" instead.`
+          )
+          genModifierCode += modifierCode[deprecatedPointerModifierAliases[key]]
         }
+      } else if (modifierCode[key]) {
+        genModifierCode += modifierCode[key]
       } else if (key === 'exact') {
         const modifiers: ASTModifiers = (handler.modifiers: any)
         genModifierCode += genGuard(
diff --git a/src/compiler/helpers.js b/src/compiler/helpers.js
index 1349fa364f4..3e2d6015f4f 100644
--- a/src/compiler/helpers.js
+++ b/src/compiler/helpers.js
@@ -71,14 +71,15 @@ export function addHandler (
     name = '&' + name // mark the event as passive
   }
 
-  // normalize click.right and click.middle since they don't actually fire
+  // normalize click.secondary (click.right) and click.auxiliary (click.middle)
+  // since they don't actually fire
   // this is technically browser-specific, but at least for now browsers are
   // the only target envs that have right/middle clicks.
   if (name === 'click') {
-    if (modifiers.right) {
+    if (modifiers.secondary || modifiers.right) {
       name = 'contextmenu'
-      delete modifiers.right
-    } else if (modifiers.middle) {
+      delete (modifiers.secondary || modifiers.right)
+    } else if (modifiers.auxiliary || modifiers.middle) {
       name = 'mouseup'
     }
   }
diff --git a/test/unit/features/directives/on.spec.js b/test/unit/features/directives/on.spec.js
index 4ef3c699fe0..a485aeefa45 100644
--- a/test/unit/features/directives/on.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/features/directives/on.spec.js
@@ -319,47 +319,72 @@ describe('Directive v-on', () => {
     expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
-  it('should support mouse modifier', () => {
-    const left = 0
-    const middle = 1
-    const right = 2
-    const spyLeft = jasmine.createSpy()
-    const spyMiddle = jasmine.createSpy()
-    const spyRight = jasmine.createSpy()
+  it('should support mouse (pointer) modifiers', () => {
+    const primary = 0
+    const auxiliary = 1
+    const secondary = 2
+    const spyPrimary = jasmine.createSpy()
+    const spyAuxiliary = jasmine.createSpy()
+    const spySecondary = jasmine.createSpy()
 
     vm = new Vue({
       el,
       template: `
         <div>
-          <div ref="left" @mousedown.left="foo">left</div>
-          <div ref="right" @mousedown.right="foo1">right</div>
-          <div ref="middle" @mousedown.middle="foo2">right</div>
+          <div ref="primary"   @mousedown.primary="foo"    @mousedown.left="foo">primary</div>
+          <div ref="secondary" @mousedown.secondary="foo1" @mousedown.right="foo1">secondary</div>
+          <div ref="auxiliary" @mousedown.auxiliary="foo2" @mousedown.middle="foo2">auxiliary</div>
         </div>
       `,
       methods: {
-        foo: spyLeft,
-        foo1: spyRight,
-        foo2: spyMiddle
+        foo: spyPrimary,
+        foo1: spySecondary,
+        foo2: spyAuxiliary
       }
     })
 
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.left, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = right })
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.left, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = middle })
-    expect(spyLeft).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.left, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = left })
-    expect(spyLeft).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    // unexpected warnings fail the test
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "left" is deprecated. Use "primary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "right" is deprecated. Use "secondary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "middle" is deprecated. Use "auxiliary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
+
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.primary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = secondary })
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.primary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = auxiliary })
+    expect(spyPrimary).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.primary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = primary })
+    expect(spyPrimary.calls.count()).toBe(2)
 
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.right, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = left })
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.right, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = middle })
-    expect(spyRight).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.right, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = right })
-    expect(spyRight).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.secondary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = primary })
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.secondary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = auxiliary })
+    expect(spySecondary).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.secondary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = secondary })
+    expect(spySecondary.calls.count()).toBe(2)
 
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.middle, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = left })
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.middle, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = right })
-    expect(spyMiddle).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
-    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.middle, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = middle })
-    expect(spyMiddle).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.auxiliary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = primary })
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.auxiliary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = secondary })
+    expect(spyAuxiliary).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    triggerEvent(vm.$refs.auxiliary, 'mousedown', e => { e.button = auxiliary })
+    expect(spyAuxiliary.calls.count()).toBe(2)
+  })
+
+  it('warn deprecated mouse (pointer) modifiers', () => {
+    new Vue({
+      template: `<div @mousedown.left="foo">primary</div>`,
+      methods: { foo: spy }
+    }).$mount()
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "left" is deprecated. Use "primary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
+
+    new Vue({
+      template: `<div @mousedown.right="foo">secondary</div>`,
+      methods: { foo: spy }
+    }).$mount()
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "right" is deprecated. Use "secondary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
+
+    new Vue({
+      template: `<div @mousedown.middle="foo">auxiliary</div>`,
+      methods: { foo: spy }
+    }).$mount()
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "middle" is deprecated. Use "auxiliary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
   })
 
   it('should support custom keyCode', () => {
@@ -693,27 +718,29 @@ describe('Directive v-on', () => {
     expect(prevented).toBe(true)
   })
 
-  it('should transform click.right to contextmenu', () => {
-    const spy = jasmine.createSpy('click.right')
+  it('should transform click.right (click.secondary) to contextmenu', () => {
     const vm = new Vue({
-      template: `<div @click.right="foo"></div>`,
+      template: `<div @click.secondary="foo" @click.right="foo"></div>`,
       methods: { foo: spy }
     }).$mount()
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "right" is deprecated. Use "secondary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
 
     triggerEvent(vm.$el, 'contextmenu')
-    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(spy.calls.count()).toBe(2)
   })
 
-  it('should transform click.middle to mouseup', () => {
+  it('should transform click.middle (click.auxiliary) to mouseup', () => {
     const spy = jasmine.createSpy('click.middle')
     const vm = new Vue({
-      template: `<div @click.middle="foo"></div>`,
+      template: `<div @click.auxiliary="foo" @click.middle="foo"></div>`,
       methods: { foo: spy }
     }).$mount()
+    expect(`Pointer modifier "middle" is deprecated. Use "auxiliary" instead.`).toHaveBeenWarned()
+
     triggerEvent(vm.$el, 'mouseup', e => { e.button = 0 })
     expect(spy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     triggerEvent(vm.$el, 'mouseup', e => { e.button = 1 })
-    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(spy.calls.count()).toBe(2)
   })
 
   it('object syntax (no argument)', () => {