diff --git a/scripts/qapi/expr.py b/scripts/qapi/expr.py
index 8a8de9e3aa..9bae500a7d 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi/expr.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi/expr.py
@@ -344,15 +344,14 @@ def check_type_name_or_array(value: Optional[object],
     if value is None or isinstance(value, str):
         return
 
-    if isinstance(value, list):
-        if len(value) != 1 or not isinstance(value[0], str):
-            raise QAPISemError(info,
-                               "%s: array type must contain single type name" %
-                               source)
-        return
+    if not isinstance(value, list):
+        raise QAPISemError(info,
+                           "%s should be a type name or array" % source)
 
-    raise QAPISemError(info,
-                       "%s should be a type name" % source)
+    if len(value) != 1 or not isinstance(value[0], str):
+        raise QAPISemError(info,
+                           "%s: array type must contain single type name" %
+                           source)
 
 
 def check_type_name_or_implicit(value: Optional[object],
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/event-nest-struct.err b/tests/qapi-schema/event-nest-struct.err
index 8c5f6ed311..15fc1406f8 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/event-nest-struct.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/event-nest-struct.err
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 event-nest-struct.json: In event 'EVENT_A':
-event-nest-struct.json:1: 'data' member 'a' should be a type name
+event-nest-struct.json:1: 'data' member 'a' should be a type name or array
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/nested-struct-data.err b/tests/qapi-schema/nested-struct-data.err
index c7258a0182..7dc5c7cb2d 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/nested-struct-data.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/nested-struct-data.err
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 nested-struct-data.json: In command 'foo':
-nested-struct-data.json:2: 'data' member 'a' should be a type name
+nested-struct-data.json:2: 'data' member 'a' should be a type name or array
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/returns-dict.err b/tests/qapi-schema/returns-dict.err
index 9b2d90c010..bf160e754b 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/returns-dict.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/returns-dict.err
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 returns-dict.json: In command 'oops':
-returns-dict.json:2: 'returns' should be a type name
+returns-dict.json:2: 'returns' should be a type name or array
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/struct-member-invalid.err b/tests/qapi-schema/struct-member-invalid.err
index 7e01a41d7c..3130d69d9f 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/struct-member-invalid.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/struct-member-invalid.err
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 struct-member-invalid.json: In struct 'Foo':
-struct-member-invalid.json:1: 'data' member 'a' should be a type name
+struct-member-invalid.json:1: 'data' member 'a' should be a type name or array