diff --git a/scripts/qapi/parser.py b/scripts/qapi/parser.py
index 1ff334e6a8..22e7bcc4b1 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi/parser.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi/parser.py
@@ -675,8 +675,8 @@ class QAPIDoc:
         match = self._match_at_name_colon(line)
         if match:
             raise QAPIParseError(self._parser,
-                                 "'@%s:' can't follow '%s' section"
-                                 % (match.group(1), self.sections[0].name))
+                                 "description of '@%s:' follows a section"
+                                 % match.group(1))
         match = self._match_section_tag(line)
         if match:
             line = line[match.end():]
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/doc-interleaved-section.err b/tests/qapi-schema/doc-interleaved-section.err
index 715d58cd31..e5d1ef54c1 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/doc-interleaved-section.err
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/doc-interleaved-section.err
@@ -1 +1 @@
-doc-interleaved-section.json:15:1: '@foobar:' can't follow 'Note' section
+doc-interleaved-section.json:15:1: description of '@foobar:' follows a section