diff --git a/monai/utils/deprecated.py b/monai/utils/deprecated.py
index c66b60996b..4ae5991d9f 100644
--- a/monai/utils/deprecated.py
+++ b/monai/utils/deprecated.py
@@ -187,9 +187,15 @@ def _decorator(func):
 
         @wraps(func)
         def _wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
-            if new_name is not None and name in kwargs:
+            if new_name is not None and name in kwargs and new_name not in kwargs:
                 # replace the deprecated arg "name" with "new_name"
+                # if name is specified and new_name is not specified
                 kwargs[new_name] = kwargs[name]
+                try:
+                    sig.bind(*args, **kwargs).arguments
+                except TypeError:
+                    # multiple values for new_name using both args and kwargs
+                    kwargs.pop(new_name, None)
             binding = sig.bind(*args, **kwargs).arguments
 
             positional_found = name in binding
diff --git a/tests/test_deprecated.py b/tests/test_deprecated.py
index 04f8173282..9c7fe4f632 100644
--- a/tests/test_deprecated.py
+++ b/tests/test_deprecated.py
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ def afoo4(a, b=None):
 
         self.assertEqual(afoo4(b=2), 2)
         # self.assertRaises(DeprecatedError, lambda: afoo4(1, b=2))
+        self.assertEqual(afoo4(1, b=2), 1)  # new name is in use
+        self.assertEqual(afoo4(a=1, b=2), 1)  # prefers the new arg
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":