diff --git a/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt b/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
index bedfb85891..1bbd663617 100644
--- a/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
+++ b/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ Conventions:
 ;; (parse:variants x cx relsattrs variants splicing? pr es success cp0) : expr[Ans]
 (define-syntax (parse:variants stx)
   (syntax-case stx ()
+    [(parse:variants x cx relsattrs () splicing? pr es success cp0 commit?)
+     ;; Special case: no variants
+     #'(fail (failure pr es))]
     [(parse:variants x cx relsattrs (variant ...) splicing? pr es success cp0 commit?)
      #'(try (parse:variant x cx relsattrs variant splicing? pr es success cp0 commit?) ...)]))
 
@@ -208,11 +211,14 @@ Conventions:
                  #`(let ()
                      local-def ...
                      (parse:S x cx pattern pr es (let () . rest)))))]))
-        (unless (and (stx-list? clauses-stx) (stx-pair? clauses-stx))
-          (raise-syntax-error #f "expected non-empty sequence of clauses" #'ctx))
+        (unless (stx-list? clauses-stx)
+          (raise-syntax-error #f "expected sequence of clauses" #'ctx))
+        (define alternatives
+          (if (stx-pair? clauses-stx)
+              (map for-clause (stx->list clauses-stx))
+              (list #`(fail (failure pr es)))))
         (with-syntax ([(def ...) (append (get-txlifts-as-definitions) defs)]
-                      [(alternative ...)
-                       (map for-clause (stx->list clauses-stx))])
+                      [(alternative ...) alternatives])
           #`(let* ([ctx0 #,context]
                    [pr (ps-empty x ctx0)]
                    [es null]
@@ -288,14 +294,14 @@ Conventions:
         #`(let ([d (if (syntax? x) (syntax-e x) x)])
             (if (equal? d (quote datum))
                 k
-                (fail (failure pr (cons(expect:atom 'datum) es)))))]
+                (fail (failure pr (cons (expect:atom 'datum) es)))))]
        [#s(pat:literal attrs literal input-phase lit-phase)
         #`(if (and (identifier? x)
                    (free-identifier=?/phases
                     x input-phase
                     (quote-syntax literal) lit-phase))
               k
-              (fail (failure pr (cons(expect:literal (quote-syntax literal)) es))))]
+              (fail (failure pr (cons (expect:literal (quote-syntax literal)) es))))]
        [#s(pat:action attrs action subpattern)
         #'(parse:A x cx action pr es (parse:S x cx subpattern pr es k))]
        [#s(pat:head attrs head tail)
diff --git a/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt b/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
index a9fa225021..3ae40a3fac 100644
--- a/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
+++ b/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
@@ -168,8 +168,6 @@
                                [auto-nested? 'try]
                                [else 'no])))
            (parse-variants rest decls splicing? expected-attrs)))
-       (when (null? variants)
-         (wrong-syntax #f "expected at least one variant"))
        (let ([sattrs
               (or attributes
                   (intersect-sattrss (map variant-attrs variants)))])