diff --git a/git-fat b/git-fat
index f8e216d..1b1c624 100755
--- a/git-fat
+++ b/git-fat
@@ -464,6 +464,8 @@ class GitFat(object):
 
     def orphan_files(self, patterns=[]):
         'generator for all orphan placeholders in the working tree'
+        if not patterns or patterns == ['']:
+            patterns = ['.']
         for fname in subprocess.check_output(['git', 'ls-files', '-z'] + patterns).split('\x00')[:-1]:
             digest = self.decode_file(fname)[0]
             if digest: