diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-git.el b/lisp/vc/vc-git.el
index 71307cdffd..e40dcadf56 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-git.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-git.el
@@ -615,8 +615,7 @@ vc-git-dir-status-goto-stage
                        "ls-files" "-z" "-u" "--"))
       ('ls-files-unknown
        (vc-git-command (current-buffer) 'async files
-                       "ls-files" "-z" "-o" "--directory"
-                       "--no-empty-directory" "--exclude-standard" "--"))
+                       "ls-files" "-z" "-o" "--exclude-standard" "--"))
       ('ls-files-ignored
        (vc-git-command (current-buffer) 'async files
                        "ls-files" "-z" "-o" "-i" "--directory"