diff --git a/pathspec.c b/pathspec.c
index f94beb6075..6d99a3dced 100644
--- a/pathspec.c
+++ b/pathspec.c
@@ -271,10 +271,20 @@ void parse_pathspec(struct pathspec *pathspec,
 	if (!entry && !prefix)
 		return;
 
+	if ((flags & PATHSPEC_PREFER_CWD) &&
+	    (flags & PATHSPEC_PREFER_FULL))
+		die("BUG: PATHSPEC_PREFER_CWD and PATHSPEC_PREFER_FULL are incompatible");
+
 	/* No arguments with prefix -> prefix pathspec */
 	if (!entry) {
 		static const char *raw[2];
 
+		if (flags & PATHSPEC_PREFER_FULL)
+			return;
+
+		if (!(flags & PATHSPEC_PREFER_CWD))
+			die("BUG: PATHSPEC_PREFER_CWD requires arguments");
+
 		pathspec->items = item = xmalloc(sizeof(*item));
 		memset(item, 0, sizeof(*item));
 		item->match = prefix;
@@ -340,7 +350,8 @@ const char **get_pathspec(const char *prefix, const char **pathspec)
 	struct pathspec ps;
 	parse_pathspec(&ps,
 		       PATHSPEC_ALL_MAGIC & ~PATHSPEC_FROMTOP,
-		       0, prefix, pathspec);
+		       PATHSPEC_PREFER_CWD,
+		       prefix, pathspec);
 	return ps.raw;
 }
 
diff --git a/pathspec.h b/pathspec.h
index cc5841b77f..d630e8b1f9 100644
--- a/pathspec.h
+++ b/pathspec.h
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ struct pathspec {
 	} *items;
 };
 
+/* parse_pathspec flags */
+#define PATHSPEC_PREFER_CWD (1<<0) /* No args means match cwd */
+#define PATHSPEC_PREFER_FULL (1<<1) /* No args means match everything */
+
 extern int init_pathspec(struct pathspec *, const char **);
 extern void parse_pathspec(struct pathspec *pathspec,
 			   unsigned magic_mask,