diff --git a/qemu/scripts/qapi-event.py b/qemu/scripts/qapi-event.py
index afdf9015..10ad7bb1 100644
--- a/qemu/scripts/qapi-event.py
+++ b/qemu/scripts/qapi-event.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ 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():
         assert not arg_type.variants
         ret += mcgen('''
     QObject *obj;
@@ -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/qemu/scripts/qapi-types.py b/qemu/scripts/qapi-types.py
index 7fba35db..4aca34e1 100644
--- a/qemu/scripts/qapi-types.py
+++ b/qemu/scripts/qapi-types.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ 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/qemu/scripts/qapi.py b/qemu/scripts/qapi.py
index b897b560..9e700afa 100644
--- a/qemu/scripts/qapi.py
+++ b/qemu/scripts/qapi.py
@@ -1005,6 +1005,10 @@ 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)