diff --git a/scripts/qapi-commands.py b/scripts/qapi-commands.py
index 34b6a3a07f..c93470cf2a 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi-commands.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi-commands.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def gen_marshal(name, arg_type, ret_type):
 ''',
                      c_type=ret_type.c_type())
 
-    if arg_type and arg_type.members:
+    if arg_type and not arg_type.is_empty():
         ret += mcgen('''
     Visitor *v;
     %(c_name)s arg = {0};
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def gen_marshal(name, arg_type, ret_type):
     ret += gen_call(name, arg_type, ret_type)
 
     # 'goto out' produced above for arg_type, and by gen_call() for ret_type
-    if (arg_type and arg_type.members) or ret_type:
+    if (arg_type and not arg_type.is_empty()) or ret_type:
         ret += mcgen('''
 
 out:
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ out:
     ret += mcgen('''
     error_propagate(errp, err);
 ''')
-    if arg_type and arg_type.members:
+    if arg_type and not arg_type.is_empty():
         ret += mcgen('''
     visit_free(v);
     v = qapi_dealloc_visitor_new();
diff --git a/scripts/qapi-event.py b/scripts/qapi-event.py
index 9c88627c9f..09c0a2a5d6 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi-event.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi-event.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def gen_event_send(name, arg_type):
 ''',
                 proto=gen_event_send_proto(name, arg_type))
 
-    if arg_type and arg_type.members:
+    if arg_type and not arg_type.is_empty():
         ret += mcgen('''
     QObject *obj;
     Visitor *v;
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def gen_event_send(name, arg_type):
 ''',
                  name=name)
 
-    if arg_type and arg_type.members:
+    if arg_type and not arg_type.is_empty():
         ret += mcgen('''
     v = qmp_output_visitor_new(&obj);
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def gen_event_send(name, arg_type):
 ''',
                  c_enum=c_enum_const(event_enum_name, name))
 
-    if arg_type and arg_type.members:
+    if arg_type and not arg_type.is_empty():
         ret += mcgen('''
 out:
     visit_free(v);
diff --git a/scripts/qapi-types.py b/scripts/qapi-types.py
index 5ace2cf065..dabc42e047 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi-types.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi-types.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ struct %(c_name)s {
     # potential issues with attempting to malloc space for zero-length
     # structs in C, and also incompatibility with C++ (where an empty
     # struct is size 1).
-    if not (base and base.members) and not members and not variants:
+    if (not base or base.is_empty()) and not members and not variants:
         ret += mcgen('''
     char qapi_dummy_for_empty_struct;
 ''')
diff --git a/scripts/qapi.py b/scripts/qapi.py
index 400c4ef4a6..27284be144 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi.py
@@ -999,6 +999,10 @@ class QAPISchemaObjectType(QAPISchemaType):
         # _def_predefineds()
         return self.name.startswith('q_')
 
+    def is_empty(self):
+        assert self.members is not None
+        return not self.members and not self.variants
+
     def c_name(self):
         assert self.name != 'q_empty'
         return QAPISchemaType.c_name(self)