diff --git a/scripts/qapi.py b/scripts/qapi.py
index 06478bb269..362e0076e9 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi.py
@@ -132,8 +132,7 @@ class QAPISchemaParser(object):
                 include = expr["include"]
                 if not isinstance(include, str):
                     raise QAPIExprError(expr_info,
-                                        'Expected a file name (string), got: %s'
-                                        % include)
+                                        "Value of 'include' must be a string")
                 incl_abs_fname = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(abs_fname),
                                               include)
                 # catch inclusion cycle
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.err b/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.err
index 9658c78801..faae1eacf1 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.err
@@ -1 +1 @@
-tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.json:1: Expected a file name (string), got: ['foo', 'bar']
+tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.json:1: Value of 'include' must be a string
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.json b/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.json
index cd43c3f9db..4711aa42e5 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.json
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/include-non-file.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{ 'include': [ 'foo', 'bar' ] }
+{ 'include': {} }