diff --git a/mercurial/revset.py b/mercurial/revset.py
--- a/mercurial/revset.py
+++ b/mercurial/revset.py
@@ -2152,6 +2152,10 @@
     """Create a matcher for a single revision spec"""
     return matchany(ui, [spec], repo=repo)
 
+def emptymatcher(repo, subset=None):
+    """ Matcher for empty specs """
+    return baseset()
+
 def matchany(ui, specs, repo=None, localalias=None):
     """Create a matcher that will include any revisions matching one of the
     given specs
@@ -2160,9 +2164,7 @@
     precedence over [revsetalias] config section.
     """
     if not specs:
-        def mfunc(repo, subset=None):
-            return baseset()
-        return mfunc
+        return emptymatcher
     if not all(specs):
         raise error.ParseError(_("empty query"))
     lookup = None