diff --git a/recipes/parquet-python/meta.yaml b/recipes/parquet-python/meta.yaml
index 4732196bd5810..59864e4111fb6 100644
--- a/recipes/parquet-python/meta.yaml
+++ b/recipes/parquet-python/meta.yaml
@@ -19,33 +19,30 @@ build:
 requirements:
   host:
     - python
+    - pip
   run:
     - python
+    - thriftpy2
 
-outputs:
-  - name: parquet-python
-    requirements:
-      host:
-        - python
-        - pip
-      run:
-        - python
-        - thriftpy2
-
-    test:
-      imports:
-        - parquet
+test:
+  imports:
+    - parquet
 
+# Top part of recipe is the same as a normal recipe. The following is only
+# needed for the alias.
+outputs:
+  # Tells conda-build that the top level is an output
+  - name: {{ name|lower }}
+  # Defines the alias a noarch package that only depends on python
+  # and the top-level
   - name: parquet_python
+    build:
+      noarch: python  # not noarch: generic because build tag formatting
     requirements:
       host:
-        - python
+        - python  # required to squash jinja error about undefined PYTHON
       run:
-        - {{ pin_subpackage("parquet-python", exact=True) }}
-
-    test:
-      imports:
-        - parquet
+        - {{ pin_subpackage( name|lower, exact=True) }}
 
 about:
   home: https://github.com/jcrobak/parquet-python