diff --git a/src/lib/parser.mly b/src/lib/parser.mly
index efd27738e..f080d16e1 100644
--- a/src/lib/parser.mly
+++ b/src/lib/parser.mly
@@ -1017,6 +1017,8 @@ type_def:
     { mk_td (TD_variant ($2, TypQ_aux (TypQ_tq [], loc $endpos($2) $startpos($3)), $5)) $startpos $endpos }
   | Union id typaram Eq Lcurly type_unions Rcurly
     { mk_td (TD_variant ($2, $3, $6)) $startpos $endpos }
+  | Bitfield id Colon typ Eq Lcurly Rcurly
+    { mk_td (TD_bitfield ($2, $4, [])) $startpos $endpos }
   | Bitfield id Colon typ Eq Lcurly r_def_body Rcurly
     { mk_td (TD_bitfield ($2, $4, $7)) $startpos $endpos }
 
diff --git a/test/typecheck/pass/bitfield_empty.sail b/test/typecheck/pass/bitfield_empty.sail
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a5cd8331
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/typecheck/pass/bitfield_empty.sail
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+default Order dec
+
+$include <prelude.sail>
+
+type xlen : Int = 2 ^ 2
+
+bitfield foo : bits(xlen) = { }
+
+bitfield bar : bits(xlen) = {
+
+}