diff --git a/mercurial/scmutil.py b/mercurial/scmutil.py
--- a/mercurial/scmutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/scmutil.py
@@ -2197,6 +2197,9 @@
 
     returns a repo object with the required changesets unhidden
     """
+    if not specs:
+        return repo
+
     if not repo.filtername or not repo.ui.configbool(
         b'experimental', b'directaccess'
     ):