diff --git a/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt b/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt
index 4a917f9e25..b4ae1be3b4 100644
--- a/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt
+++ b/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt
@@ -1002,7 +1002,12 @@ Example:
         UserDefOneList *arg1 = NULL;
 
         v = qmp_input_get_visitor(qiv);
+        visit_start_struct(v, NULL, NULL, 0, &err);
+        if (err) {
+            goto out;
+        }
         visit_type_UserDefOneList(v, "arg1", &arg1, &err);
+        visit_end_struct(v, err ? NULL : &err);
         if (err) {
             goto out;
         }
@@ -1019,7 +1024,9 @@ Example:
         qmp_input_visitor_cleanup(qiv);
         qdv = qapi_dealloc_visitor_new();
         v = qapi_dealloc_get_visitor(qdv);
+        visit_start_struct(v, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL);
         visit_type_UserDefOneList(v, "arg1", &arg1, NULL);
+        visit_end_struct(v, NULL);
         qapi_dealloc_visitor_cleanup(qdv);
     }
 
diff --git a/scripts/qapi-commands.py b/scripts/qapi-commands.py
index 6261e44df1..04549fa183 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi-commands.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi-commands.py
@@ -121,7 +121,12 @@ def gen_marshal(name, arg_type, ret_type):
     %(c_name)s arg = {0};
 
     v = qmp_input_get_visitor(qiv);
+    visit_start_struct(v, NULL, NULL, 0, &err);
+    if (err) {
+        goto out;
+    }
     visit_type_%(c_name)s_members(v, &arg, &err);
+    visit_end_struct(v, err ? NULL : &err);
     if (err) {
         goto out;
     }
@@ -150,7 +155,9 @@ out:
     qmp_input_visitor_cleanup(qiv);
     qdv = qapi_dealloc_visitor_new();
     v = qapi_dealloc_get_visitor(qdv);
+    visit_start_struct(v, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL);
     visit_type_%(c_name)s_members(v, &arg, NULL);
+    visit_end_struct(v, NULL);
     qapi_dealloc_visitor_cleanup(qdv);
 ''',
                      c_name=arg_type.c_name())