diff --git a/Lib/doctest.py b/Lib/doctest.py
index 095f560..90bcca1 100644
--- a/Lib/doctest.py
+++ b/Lib/doctest.py
@@ -2381,7 +2381,12 @@
     elif not tests:
         # Why do we want to do this? Because it reveals a bug that might
         # otherwise be hidden.
-        raise ValueError(module, "has no tests")
+        # It is probably a bug that this exception is not also raised if the
+        # number of doctest examples in tests is zero (i.e. if no doctest
+        # examples were found).  However, we should probably not be raising
+        # an exception at all here, though it is too late to make this change
+        # for a maintenance release.  See also issue #14649.
+        raise ValueError(module, "has no docstrings")
 
     tests.sort()
     suite = unittest.TestSuite()