diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/config.py b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
index f8f9e7902..eb2a81594 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/config.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ class KeyConfig:
     def __init__(self, config):
         self._config = config
 
-    def _prepare(self, key, mode):
-        """Make sure the given mode exists."""
+    def _validate(self, key, mode):
+        """Validate the given key and mode."""
         # Catch old usage of this code
         assert isinstance(key, keyutils.KeySequence), key
         if mode not in configdata.DATA['bindings.default'].default:
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class KeyConfig:
 
     def get_command(self, key, mode, default=False):
         """Get the command for a given key (or None)."""
-        self._prepare(key, mode)
+        self._validate(key, mode)
         if default:
             bindings = dict(val.bindings.default[mode])
         else:
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class KeyConfig:
                 "Can't add binding '{}' with empty command in {} "
                 'mode'.format(key, mode))
 
-        self._prepare(key, mode)
+        self._validate(key, mode)
         log.keyboard.vdebug("Adding binding {} -> {} in mode {}.".format(
             key, command, mode))
 
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ class KeyConfig:
 
     def bind_default(self, key, *, mode='normal', save_yaml=False):
         """Restore a default keybinding."""
-        self._prepare(key, mode)
+        self._validate(key, mode)
 
         bindings_commands = self._config.get_mutable_obj('bindings.commands')
         try:
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class KeyConfig:
 
     def unbind(self, key, *, mode='normal', save_yaml=False):
         """Unbind the given key in the given mode."""
-        self._prepare(key, mode)
+        self._validate(key, mode)
 
         bindings_commands = self._config.get_mutable_obj('bindings.commands')
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/test_config.py b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
index f47ee7a0a..40e82ba4b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
@@ -103,15 +103,13 @@ class TestKeyConfig:
         """Get a dict with no bindings."""
         return {'normal': {}}
 
-    def test_prepare_invalid_mode(self, key_config_stub):
-        """Make sure prepare checks the mode."""
+    def test_validate_invalid_mode(self, key_config_stub):
         with pytest.raises(configexc.KeybindingError):
-            assert key_config_stub._prepare(keyseq('x'), 'abnormal')
+            assert key_config_stub._validate(keyseq('x'), 'abnormal')
 
-    def test_prepare_invalid_type(self, key_config_stub):
-        """Make sure prepare checks the type."""
+    def test_validate_invalid_type(self, key_config_stub):
         with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
-            assert key_config_stub._prepare('x', 'normal')
+            assert key_config_stub._validate('x', 'normal')
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('commands, expected', [
         # Unbinding default key