--- a/mercurial/scmutil.py	Sun Nov 07 16:25:42 2021 -0500
+++ b/mercurial/scmutil.py	Tue Dec 07 15:48:22 2021 -0800
@@ -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'
     ):