diff --git a/scripts/qapi/expr.py b/scripts/qapi/expr.py
index 019f4c97aa..9e2aa1d43a 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi/expr.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi/expr.py
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ def check_if(expr: _JSONObject, info: QAPISourceInfo, source: str) -> None:
 
     def _check_if(cond: Union[str, object]) -> None:
         if isinstance(cond, str):
-            if not re.match(r'^[A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*$', cond):
+            if not re.fullmatch(r'[A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*', cond):
                 raise QAPISemError(
                     info,
                     "'if' condition '%s' of %s is not a valid identifier"