diff --git a/scripts/qapi/parser.py b/scripts/qapi/parser.py
index e7b9d670ad..116afe549a 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi/parser.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi/parser.py
@@ -236,9 +236,9 @@ class QAPISchemaParser:
         if self.tok == ']':
             self.accept()
             return expr
-        if self.tok not in "{['tfn":
+        if self.tok not in "{['tf":
             raise QAPIParseError(
-                self, "expected '{', '[', ']', string, boolean or 'null'")
+                self, "expected '{', '[', ']', string, or boolean")
         while True:
             expr.append(self.get_expr(True))
             if self.tok == ']':
@@ -257,12 +257,12 @@ class QAPISchemaParser:
         elif self.tok == '[':
             self.accept()
             expr = self.get_values()
-        elif self.tok in "'tfn":
+        elif self.tok in "'tf":
             expr = self.val
             self.accept()
         else:
             raise QAPIParseError(
-                self, "expected '{', '[', string, boolean or 'null'")
+                self, "expected '{', '[', string, or boolean")
         return expr
 
     def get_doc(self, info):
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/leading-comma-list.err b/tests/qapi-schema/leading-comma-list.err
index 76eed2b5b3..0725d6529f 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/leading-comma-list.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/leading-comma-list.err
@@ -1 +1 @@
-leading-comma-list.json:2:13: expected '{', '[', ']', string, boolean or 'null'
+leading-comma-list.json:2:13: expected '{', '[', ']', string, or boolean
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/trailing-comma-list.err b/tests/qapi-schema/trailing-comma-list.err
index ad2f2d7c97..bb5f8c3c90 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/trailing-comma-list.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/trailing-comma-list.err
@@ -1 +1 @@
-trailing-comma-list.json:2:36: expected '{', '[', string, boolean or 'null'
+trailing-comma-list.json:2:36: expected '{', '[', string, or boolean