diff --git a/scripts/qapi/common.py b/scripts/qapi/common.py
index 4bfc007833..297b82db4c 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi/common.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi/common.py
@@ -905,8 +905,6 @@ def check_known_keys(value, info, source, required, optional):
 
 def check_keys(expr, info, meta, required, optional=[]):
     name = expr[meta]
-    if not isinstance(name, str):
-        raise QAPISemError(info, "'%s' key must have a string value" % meta)
     required = required + [meta]
     source = "%s '%s'" % (meta, name)
     check_known_keys(expr, info, source, required, optional)
@@ -964,37 +962,18 @@ def check_exprs(exprs):
 
         if 'enum' in expr:
             meta = 'enum'
-            check_keys(expr, info, 'enum', ['data'], ['if', 'prefix'])
-            normalize_enum(expr)
         elif 'union' in expr:
             meta = 'union'
-            check_keys(expr, info, 'union', ['data'],
-                       ['base', 'discriminator', 'if'])
-            normalize_members(expr.get('base'))
-            normalize_members(expr['data'])
         elif 'alternate' in expr:
             meta = 'alternate'
-            check_keys(expr, info, 'alternate', ['data'], ['if'])
-            normalize_members(expr['data'])
         elif 'struct' in expr:
             meta = 'struct'
-            check_keys(expr, info, 'struct', ['data'],
-                       ['base', 'if', 'features'])
-            normalize_members(expr['data'])
-            normalize_features(expr.get('features'))
         elif 'command' in expr:
             meta = 'command'
-            check_keys(expr, info, 'command', [],
-                       ['data', 'returns', 'gen', 'success-response',
-                        'boxed', 'allow-oob', 'allow-preconfig', 'if'])
-            normalize_members(expr.get('data'))
         elif 'event' in expr:
             meta = 'event'
-            check_keys(expr, info, 'event', [], ['data', 'boxed', 'if'])
-            normalize_members(expr.get('data'))
         else:
             raise QAPISemError(info, "expression is missing metatype")
-        normalize_if(expr)
 
         name = expr[meta]
         check_name_is_str(name, info, "'%s'" % meta)
@@ -1008,20 +987,39 @@ def check_exprs(exprs):
                 % (name, doc.symbol))
 
         if meta == 'enum':
+            check_keys(expr, info, 'enum', ['data'], ['if', 'prefix'])
+            normalize_enum(expr)
             check_enum(expr, info)
         elif meta == 'union':
+            check_keys(expr, info, 'union', ['data'],
+                       ['base', 'discriminator', 'if'])
+            normalize_members(expr.get('base'))
+            normalize_members(expr['data'])
             check_union(expr, info)
         elif meta == 'alternate':
+            check_keys(expr, info, 'alternate', ['data'], ['if'])
+            normalize_members(expr['data'])
             check_alternate(expr, info)
         elif meta == 'struct':
+            check_keys(expr, info, 'struct', ['data'],
+                       ['base', 'if', 'features'])
+            normalize_members(expr['data'])
+            normalize_features(expr.get('features'))
             check_struct(expr, info)
         elif meta == 'command':
+            check_keys(expr, info, 'command', [],
+                       ['data', 'returns', 'gen', 'success-response',
+                        'boxed', 'allow-oob', 'allow-preconfig', 'if'])
+            normalize_members(expr.get('data'))
             check_command(expr, info)
         elif meta == 'event':
+            check_keys(expr, info, 'event', [], ['data', 'boxed', 'if'])
+            normalize_members(expr.get('data'))
             check_event(expr, info)
         else:
             assert False, 'unexpected meta type'
 
+        normalize_if(expr)
         check_if(expr, info)
         check_flags(expr, info)
 
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-base.err b/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-base.err
index 4c9158db02..6290665ac2 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-base.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/alternate-base.err
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+tests/qapi-schema/alternate-base.json: In alternate 'Alt':
 tests/qapi-schema/alternate-base.json:4: unknown key 'base' in alternate 'Alt'
 Valid keys are 'alternate', 'data', 'if'.
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-bool.err b/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-bool.err
index 62fd70baaf..984a77c4e3 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-bool.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-bool.err
@@ -1 +1 @@
-tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-bool.json:2: 'struct' key must have a string value
+tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-bool.json:2: 'struct' requires a string name
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-dict.err b/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-dict.err
index 0b2a2aeac4..e83b8cfb41 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-dict.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-dict.err
@@ -1 +1 @@
-tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-dict.json:2: 'command' key must have a string value
+tests/qapi-schema/bad-type-dict.json:2: 'command' requires a string name
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/double-type.err b/tests/qapi-schema/double-type.err
index 44a9dfdd55..ddb22af638 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/double-type.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/double-type.err
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+tests/qapi-schema/double-type.json: In struct 'bar':
 tests/qapi-schema/double-type.json:2: unknown key 'command' in struct 'bar'
 Valid keys are 'base', 'data', 'features', 'if', 'struct'.
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/enum-missing-data.err b/tests/qapi-schema/enum-missing-data.err
index 3c3c52d037..ffde1082c3 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/enum-missing-data.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/enum-missing-data.err
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+tests/qapi-schema/enum-missing-data.json: In enum 'MyEnum':
 tests/qapi-schema/enum-missing-data.json:2: key 'data' is missing from enum 'MyEnum'
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/unknown-expr-key.err b/tests/qapi-schema/unknown-expr-key.err
index 07558edb78..e401efe148 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/unknown-expr-key.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/unknown-expr-key.err
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+tests/qapi-schema/unknown-expr-key.json: In struct 'bar':
 tests/qapi-schema/unknown-expr-key.json:2: unknown keys 'bogus', 'phony' in struct 'bar'
 Valid keys are 'base', 'data', 'features', 'if', 'struct'.
