diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test-exp.rkt b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test-exp.rkt
index 5558b6feab..2136ffdf18 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test-exp.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/test-exp.rkt
@@ -79,6 +79,18 @@
             (s= ((x.c1 x.c2) ...) '((2 3) (4 5)))))
   (terx (#:c 1 2) ((~eh-var x extopts) ...)
         #rx"missing required occurrence of A option")
+
+  ;; from Alexis King (#2551) (3/2019)
+  (let ()
+    (define-eh-alternative-set opts
+      [pattern {~optional {~seq #:foo foo:expr}}])
+    (test-exn "eh-alts no spurious description"
+              (lambda (e)
+                (and (regexp-match? #rx"expected more terms" (exn-message e))
+                     (not (regexp-match? #rx"eh-alt-parser" (exn-message e)))))
+              (lambda ()
+                (syntax-parse #'(use-opts #:foo)
+                  [(_ {~eh-var o opts} ...) 'ok]))))
   )
 (require 'eh-alts)
 
diff --git a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
index f66d6f5d69..d81a2a96c2 100644
--- a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@
         (let-values ([(name formals arity)
                       (let ([p (check-stxclass-header #'header stx)])
                         (values (car p) (cadr p) (caddr p)))])
-          (let ([the-rhs (parse-rhs #'rhss splicing? #:context stx)])
+          (let ([the-rhs (parse-rhs #'rhss splicing? #:context stx
+                                    #:default-description (symbol->string (syntax-e name)))])
             (with-syntax ([name name]
                           [formals formals]
-                          [desc (cond [(rhs-description the-rhs) => constant-desc]
-                                      [else (symbol->string (syntax-e name))])]
+                          [desc (cond [(rhs-description the-rhs) => constant-desc] [else #f])]
                           [parser (generate-temporary (format-symbol "parse-~a" name))]
                           [arity arity]
                           [attrs (rhs-attrs the-rhs)]
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@
    (with-syntax ([formals* formals*]
                  [(def ...) defs]
                  [((vdef ...) ...) vdefss]
-                 [description (or description (symbol->string (syntax-e name)))]
+                 [description description]
                  [transparent? transparent?]
                  [delimit-cut? delimit-cut?]
                  [body body])
diff --git a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
index 130bcabe4c..3a1196b3db 100644
--- a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/rep.rkt
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@
   (-> syntax?
       boolean?)]
  [parse-rhs
-  (-> syntax? boolean?
-      #:context (or/c false/c syntax?)
-      rhs?)]
+  (->* [syntax? boolean? #:context (or/c false/c syntax?)]
+       [#:default-description (or/c #f string?)]
+       rhs?)]
  [parse-pattern+sides
   (-> syntax? syntax?
       #:splicing? boolean?
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@
 
 ;; ---
 
-;; parse-rhs : Syntax Boolean #:context Syntax -> RHS
-(define (parse-rhs stx splicing? #:context ctx)
+;; parse-rhs : Syntax Boolean #:context Syntax #:default-description (U String #f) -> RHS
+(define (parse-rhs stx splicing? #:context ctx #:default-description [default-description #f])
   (call/txlifts
    (lambda ()
      (parameterize ((current-syntax-context ctx))
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@
          (or attributes
              (filter (lambda (a) (symbol-interned? (attr-name a)))
                      (intersect-sattrss (map variant-attrs variants)))))
-       (make rhs sattrs transp? description variants
+       (make rhs sattrs transp? (or description #`(quote #,default-description)) variants
              (append (get-txlifts-as-definitions) defs)
              commit? delimit-cut?)))))