diff --git a/doc/describe/classes.adoc b/doc/describe/classes.adoc
index 811189c..b7120e9 100644
--- a/doc/describe/classes.adoc
+++ b/doc/describe/classes.adoc
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ It takes three arguments: the `struct` name, a list of base classes
 (empty in our example), and a list of (public) members by name (this includes
 both data members and member functions.)
 
-Since `BOOST_DESCRIBE_STRUCT` is placed outside the type, it's non-intrisive,
+Since `BOOST_DESCRIBE_STRUCT` is placed outside the type, it's non-intrusive,
 does not require access to the definition, and can therefore be used to describe
 third-party types or types defined in system headers.
 
@@ -187,3 +187,31 @@ public:
 
 The case where a member function and a static member function have the same name
 and the same function type is currently not supported.
+
+
+## Avoiding empty variadic macro
+
+The `BOOST_DESCRIBE_STRUCT` and `BOOST_DESCRIBE_CLASS` utilize empty variadic
+macro arguments for missing bases or members, which relies on a C++20
+preprocessor extension.
+
+If this behavior is undesired or unsupported by your toolchain,
+you can avoid it by explicitly specifying `void` for base classes
+in simple cases, and by using the lower-level `BOOST_DESCRIBE_...`
+macros for classes, as shown below:
+
+```_EMPTY
+struct X { int foo; };
+BOOST_DESCRIBE_STRUCT(X, (void), (foo))
+
+class Y {
+  public:
+    int foo;
+  private:
+    int bar;
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_BASES(Y, void)
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_PUBLIC_MEMBERS(Y, foo)
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_PROTECTED_MEMBERS_EMPTY(Y) // use _EMPTY suffix for missing member groups
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_PRIVATE_MEMBERS(Y, bar)
+};
+```
diff --git a/include/boost/describe/class.hpp b/include/boost/describe/class.hpp
index 8d3fdcb..90f9cec 100644
--- a/include/boost/describe/class.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/describe/class.hpp
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ namespace describe
     static_assert(std::is_class<C>::value || std::is_union<C>::value, "BOOST_DESCRIBE_STRUCT should only be used with class types"); \
     BOOST_DESCRIBE_BASES(C, BOOST_DESCRIBE_PP_UNPACK Bases) \
     BOOST_DESCRIBE_PUBLIC_MEMBERS(C, BOOST_DESCRIBE_PP_UNPACK Members) \
-    BOOST_DESCRIBE_PROTECTED_MEMBERS(C) \
-    BOOST_DESCRIBE_PRIVATE_MEMBERS(C)
+    BOOST_DESCRIBE_PROTECTED_MEMBERS_EMPTY(C) \
+    BOOST_DESCRIBE_PRIVATE_MEMBERS_EMPTY(C)
 
 #else
 
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ namespace describe
     static_assert(std::is_class<C>::value || std::is_union<C>::value, "BOOST_DESCRIBE_STRUCT should only be used with class types"); \
     BOOST_DESCRIBE_MAYBE_UNUSED BOOST_DESCRIBE_BASES_(C BOOST_DESCRIBE_PP_UNPACK Bases) \
     BOOST_DESCRIBE_MAYBE_UNUSED BOOST_DESCRIBE_PUBLIC_MEMBERS_(C BOOST_DESCRIBE_PP_UNPACK Members) \
-    BOOST_DESCRIBE_MAYBE_UNUSED BOOST_DESCRIBE_PROTECTED_MEMBERS_(C) \
-    BOOST_DESCRIBE_MAYBE_UNUSED BOOST_DESCRIBE_PRIVATE_MEMBERS_(C)
+    BOOST_DESCRIBE_MAYBE_UNUSED BOOST_DESCRIBE_PROTECTED_MEMBERS_EMPTY(C) \
+    BOOST_DESCRIBE_MAYBE_UNUSED BOOST_DESCRIBE_PRIVATE_MEMBERS_EMPTY(C)
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/include/boost/describe/detail/bases.hpp b/include/boost/describe/detail/bases.hpp
index d4fe494..b659320 100644
--- a/include/boost/describe/detail/bases.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/describe/detail/bases.hpp
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ template<class C, class B> struct base_descriptor
     static constexpr unsigned modifiers = compute_base_modifiers<C, B>();
 };
 
+template<class C>
+struct base_descriptor<C, void>
+{
+    using type = void;
+    static constexpr unsigned modifiers = 0U;
+};
+
 #ifndef __cpp_inline_variables
 template<class C, class B> constexpr unsigned base_descriptor<C, B>::modifiers;
 #endif
diff --git a/include/boost/describe/detail/members.hpp b/include/boost/describe/detail/members.hpp
index 8be5387..0e2a7ae 100644
--- a/include/boost/describe/detail/members.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/describe/detail/members.hpp
@@ -77,6 +77,15 @@ template<class C, class F> constexpr auto mfn( F * p ) { return p; }
 
 #endif
 
+#define BOOST_DESCRIBE_PUBLIC_MEMBERS_EMPTY(C) inline auto boost_public_member_descriptor_fn( C** ) \
+{ return boost::describe::detail::member_descriptor_fn_impl<boost::describe::mod_public>( 0 ); }
+
+#define BOOST_DESCRIBE_PROTECTED_MEMBERS_EMPTY(C) inline auto boost_protected_member_descriptor_fn( C** ) \
+{ return boost::describe::detail::member_descriptor_fn_impl<boost::describe::mod_protected>( 0 ); }
+
+#define BOOST_DESCRIBE_PRIVATE_MEMBERS_EMPTY(C) inline auto boost_private_member_descriptor_fn( C** ) \
+{ return boost::describe::detail::member_descriptor_fn_impl<boost::describe::mod_private>( 0 ); }
+
 } // namespace detail
 } // namespace describe
 } // namespace boost
diff --git a/test/Jamfile b/test/Jamfile
index 194d86b..649f94e 100644
--- a/test/Jamfile
+++ b/test/Jamfile
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ run pedantic_members_test.cpp
 
 run enum_from_string_test2.cpp ;
 
+run empty_descriptor_test.cpp ;
+
 # examples
 
 obj describe_cxx14 : describe_cxx14.cpp ;
diff --git a/test/empty_descriptor_test.cpp b/test/empty_descriptor_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40e563d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/empty_descriptor_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+// Copyright 2022 Peter Dimov
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
+// https://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt
+
+#include <boost/describe/members.hpp>
+#include <boost/describe/class.hpp>
+#include <boost/core/lightweight_test_trait.hpp>
+
+#if !defined(BOOST_DESCRIBE_CXX14)
+
+#include <boost/config/pragma_message.hpp>
+
+BOOST_PRAGMA_MESSAGE("Skipping test because C++14 is not available")
+int main() {}
+
+#else
+
+#if defined(__clang__)
+#pragma clang diagnostic push
+#pragma clang diagnostic error "-Wgnu-zero-variadic-macro-arguments"
+#endif
+
+
+// Using (void) to specify empty bases for simple structs
+struct X { int foo; };
+BOOST_DESCRIBE_STRUCT(X, (void), (foo))
+
+// Using underlying macros for classes or empty types
+class Y {
+  public:
+    int foo;
+  private:
+    int bar;
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_BASES(Y, void)
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_PUBLIC_MEMBERS(Y, foo)
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_PROTECTED_MEMBERS_EMPTY(Y)
+    friend BOOST_DESCRIBE_PRIVATE_MEMBERS(Y, bar)
+};
+
+
+int main()
+{
+    using namespace boost::describe;
+    using namespace boost::mp11;
+
+    {
+        using L = describe_bases<X, mod_any_access>;
+        BOOST_TEST_EQ( mp_size<L>::value, 0 );
+    }
+
+    {
+        using L = describe_members<X, mod_any_access>;
+        BOOST_TEST_EQ( mp_size<L>::value, 1 );
+    }
+
+    {
+        using L = describe_bases<Y, mod_any_access>;
+        BOOST_TEST_EQ( mp_size<L>::value, 0 );
+    }
+
+    {
+        using L = describe_members<Y, mod_any_access>;
+        BOOST_TEST_EQ( mp_size<L>::value, 2 );
+    }
+
+    return boost::report_errors();
+}
+
+
+
+#endif