diff --git a/qiskit/transpiler/passes/ms_basis_decomposer.py b/qiskit/transpiler/passes/ms_basis_decomposer.py
index 9028e7dbc960..526876ba9de6 100644
--- a/qiskit/transpiler/passes/ms_basis_decomposer.py
+++ b/qiskit/transpiler/passes/ms_basis_decomposer.py
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@ def __init__(self, basis):
         self.basis = basis
         self.requires = [Unroller(list(set(basis).union(['u3', 'cx'])))]
 
-        if set(basis) != {gate_name for gate_name in self.supported_basis_names}:
-            raise QiskitError("Cannot unroll the circuit to the given basis, %s. "
-                              % str(self.basis))
-
     def run(self, dag):
         """Replace U3,CX nodes in input dag with equivalent Rx,Ry,Rxx gates.
 
diff --git a/qiskit/transpiler/transpile_circuit.py b/qiskit/transpiler/transpile_circuit.py
index 29988cbe09ff..aed51e61501b 100644
--- a/qiskit/transpiler/transpile_circuit.py
+++ b/qiskit/transpiler/transpile_circuit.py
@@ -48,12 +48,11 @@ def transpile_circuit(circuit, transpile_config):
         device_insts = set(transpile_config.basis_gates).union(basic_insts)
 
         ms_basis_swap = None
-        if (
-                'rxx' in transpile_config.basis_gates
-                and not device_insts >= circuit.count_ops().keys()
-        ):
+        if 'rxx' in transpile_config.basis_gates and \
+                not device_insts >= circuit.count_ops().keys():
             ms_basis_swap = transpile_config.basis_gates
-            transpile_config.basis_gates = ['u3', 'cx']
+            transpile_config.basis_gates = list(set(['u3', 'cx']).union(
+                transpile_config.basis_gates))
 
         level = transpile_config.optimization_level
         if level is None: