diff --git a/scripts/qapi/common.py b/scripts/qapi/common.py
index c5c71287c3..99db18f3d6 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi/common.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi/common.py
@@ -920,11 +920,9 @@ def check_alternate(expr, info):
     members = expr['data']
     types_seen = {}
 
-    # Check every branch; require at least two branches
-    if len(members) < 2:
+    if len(members) == 0:
         raise QAPISemError(info,
-                           "Alternate '%s' should have at least two branches "
-                           "in 'data'" % name)
+                           "Alternate '%s' cannot have empty 'data'" % name)
     for (key, value) in members.items():
         check_name(info, "Member of alternate '%s'" % name, key)
         check_known_keys(info,
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.err b/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.err
index bb06c5bfec..86dbc666eb 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.err
@@ -1 +1 @@
-tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.json:2: Alternate 'Alt' should have at least two branches in 'data'
+tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.json:2: Alternate 'Alt' cannot have empty 'data'
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.json b/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.json
index fff15baf16..9f445474e6 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.json
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-empty.json
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-# alternates must list at least two types to be useful
-{ 'alternate': 'Alt', 'data': { 'i': 'int' } }
+# alternates cannot be empty
+{ 'alternate': 'Alt', 'data': { } }
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
index e6dbbbd328..8b0d47c4ab 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
@@ -186,19 +186,21 @@
 
 # test that we correctly compile downstream extensions, as well as munge
 # ticklish names
+# also test union and alternate with just one branch
 { 'enum': '__org.qemu_x-Enum', 'data': [ '__org.qemu_x-value' ] }
 { 'struct': '__org.qemu_x-Base',
   'data': { '__org.qemu_x-member1': '__org.qemu_x-Enum' } }
 { 'struct': '__org.qemu_x-Struct', 'base': '__org.qemu_x-Base',
   'data': { '__org.qemu_x-member2': 'str', '*wchar-t': 'int' } }
 { 'union': '__org.qemu_x-Union1', 'data': { '__org.qemu_x-branch': 'str' } }
+{ 'alternate': '__org.qemu_x-Alt1', 'data': { '__org.qemu_x-branch': 'str' } }
 { 'struct': '__org.qemu_x-Struct2',
   'data': { 'array': ['__org.qemu_x-Union1'] } }
 { 'union': '__org.qemu_x-Union2', 'base': '__org.qemu_x-Base',
   'discriminator': '__org.qemu_x-member1',
   'data': { '__org.qemu_x-value': '__org.qemu_x-Struct2' } }
 { 'alternate': '__org.qemu_x-Alt',
-  'data': { '__org.qemu_x-branch': 'str', 'b': '__org.qemu_x-Base' } }
+  'data': { '__org.qemu_x-branch': '__org.qemu_x-Base' } }
 { 'event': '__ORG.QEMU_X-EVENT', 'data': '__org.qemu_x-Struct' }
 { 'command': '__org.qemu_x-command',
   'data': { 'a': ['__org.qemu_x-Enum'], 'b': ['__org.qemu_x-Struct'],
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
index fb00a21996..bea7976bbb 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
@@ -274,6 +274,9 @@ object __org.qemu_x-Union1
     member type: __org.qemu_x-Union1Kind optional=False
     tag type
     case __org.qemu_x-branch: q_obj_str-wrapper
+alternate __org.qemu_x-Alt1
+    tag type
+    case __org.qemu_x-branch: str
 array __org.qemu_x-Union1List __org.qemu_x-Union1
 object __org.qemu_x-Struct2
     member array: __org.qemu_x-Union1List optional=False
@@ -283,8 +286,7 @@ object __org.qemu_x-Union2
     case __org.qemu_x-value: __org.qemu_x-Struct2
 alternate __org.qemu_x-Alt
     tag type
-    case __org.qemu_x-branch: str
-    case b: __org.qemu_x-Base
+    case __org.qemu_x-branch: __org.qemu_x-Base
 event __ORG.QEMU_X-EVENT __org.qemu_x-Struct
    boxed=False
 array __org.qemu_x-EnumList __org.qemu_x-Enum