diff --git a/esqueleto.cabal b/esqueleto.cabal
--- a/esqueleto.cabal
+++ b/esqueleto.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                esqueleto
-version:             1.2
+version:             1.2.1
 synopsis:            Bare bones, type-safe EDSL for SQL queries on persistent backends.
 homepage:            https://github.com/meteficha/esqueleto
 license:             BSD3
diff --git a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs
--- a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs
+++ b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs
@@ -700,20 +700,22 @@
 
 
 uncommas :: [TLB.Builder] -> TLB.Builder
-uncommas = mconcat . intersperse ", "
+uncommas = mconcat . intersperse ", " . filter (/= mempty)
 
 uncommas' :: Monoid a => [(TLB.Builder, a)] -> (TLB.Builder, a)
 uncommas' = (uncommas *** mconcat) . unzip
 
 
 makeSelect :: SqlSelect a r => Connection -> Mode -> a -> (TLB.Builder, [PersistValue])
-makeSelect conn mode ret = first (s <>) (sqlSelectCols conn ret)
+makeSelect conn mode ret =
+  case mode of
+    SELECT          -> withCols "SELECT "
+    SELECT_DISTINCT -> withCols "SELECT DISTINCT "
+    DELETE          -> plain "DELETE "
+    UPDATE          -> plain "UPDATE "
   where
-    s = case mode of
-          SELECT          -> "SELECT "
-          SELECT_DISTINCT -> "SELECT DISTINCT "
-          DELETE          -> "DELETE"
-          UPDATE          -> "UPDATE "
+    withCols v = first (v <>) (sqlSelectCols conn ret)
+    plain    v = (v, [])
 
 
 makeFrom :: Connection -> Mode -> [FromClause] -> (TLB.Builder, [PersistValue])
@@ -831,8 +833,8 @@
 
 -- | Not useful for 'select', but used for 'update' and 'delete'.
 instance SqlSelect () () where
-  sqlSelectCols _ _ = mempty
-  sqlSelectColCount _ = 0
+  sqlSelectCols _ _ = ("1", [])
+  sqlSelectColCount _ = 1
   sqlSelectProcessRow _ = Right ()
 
 
diff --git a/test/Test.hs b/test/Test.hs
--- a/test/Test.hs
+++ b/test/Test.hs
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@
           ret <- select $ return $ val (3 :: Int)
           liftIO $ ret `shouldBe` [ Value 3 ]
 
+      it "works for a pair of a single value and ()" $
+        run $ do
+          ret <- select $ return (val (3 :: Int), ())
+          liftIO $ ret `shouldBe` [ (Value 3, ()) ]
+
+      it "works for a single ()" $
+        run $ do
+          ret <- select $ return ()
+          liftIO $ ret `shouldBe` [ () ]
+
       it "works for a single NULL value" $
         run $ do
           ret <- select $ return $ nothing