diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/select.rkt b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/select.rkt
index 1dabfeed33..90526a84db 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/select.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/stxparse/select.rkt
@@ -341,3 +341,11 @@
                   #:with w #'whatever
                   #:fail-unless #f "message2" ;; (post 'g2 3), incomp w/ above
                   'ok]))))
+
+;; from Alexis King, #2627 (4/2019)
+(test-case "opaque ~describe w/o description is still opaque"
+  (check-exn (lambda (e)
+               (not (regexp-match? #rx"literal 0" (exn-message e))))
+             (lambda ()
+               (syntax-parse '(m #f)
+                 [(_ (~describe #:opaque #f 0)) 'ok]))))
diff --git a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
index d81a2a96c2..8475969921 100644
--- a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/parse.rkt
@@ -1196,7 +1196,7 @@ Conventions:
                           (define the-pattern (ehpat-head ehpat))
                           (define attrs (iattrs->sattrs (pattern-attrs the-pattern)))
                           (define the-variant (variant hstx attrs the-pattern null))
-                          (define the-rhs (rhs attrs #f #f (list the-variant) null #f #f))
+                          (define the-rhs (rhs attrs #t #f (list the-variant) null #f #f))
                           (with-syntax ([(parser) (generate-temporaries '(eh-alt-parser))]
                                         [the-rhs-expr (datum->expression the-rhs)])
                             (list (eh-alternative (ehpat-repc ehpat) attrs #'parser)
diff --git a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-progress.rkt b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-progress.rkt
index ba8eebcb18..4065357c76 100644
--- a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-progress.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-progress.rkt
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ different purposes.
 
 An ExpectStack (during parsing) is one of
   - (expect:thing Progress String Boolean String/#f ExpectStack)
+  - (expect:thing Progress #f     #f      String/#f ExpectStack)
   * (expect:message String ExpectStack)
   * (expect:atom Datum ExpectStack)
   * (expect:literal Identifier ExpectStack)
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ RExpectList when the most specific information comes last.
       (expect:proper-pair? x)))
 
 (define (es-add-thing ps description transparent? role next)
-  (if (and next description)
+  (if (and next (or description (not transparent?)))
       (expect:thing ps description transparent? role next)
       next))
 
diff --git a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-report.rkt b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-report.rkt
index 6a11789b86..59733c4cd2 100644
--- a/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-report.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/syntax/parse/private/runtime-report.rkt
@@ -333,10 +333,11 @@ ie (ps->stx+index ps1) = (ps->stx+index ps2).
       ['#f acc]
       ['#t acc]
       [(expect:thing ps desc tr? role rest-es)
-       (cond [(and truncate-opaque? (not tr?))
-              (loop rest-es (cons (expect:thing #f desc #t role (ps->stx+index ps)) null))]
-             [else
-              (loop rest-es (cons (expect:thing #f desc tr? role (ps->stx+index ps)) acc))])]
+       (let* (;; discard frames so far if opaque
+              [acc (if (and truncate-opaque? (not tr?)) null acc)]
+              ;; discard this frame if desc is #f
+              [acc (if desc (cons (expect:thing #f desc tr? role (ps->stx+index ps)) acc) acc)])
+         (loop rest-es acc))]
       [(expect:message message rest-es)
        (loop rest-es (cons (expect:message message stx+index) acc))]
       [(expect:atom atom rest-es)