diff --git a/finder/finder.go b/finder/finder.go
index ce17475..89be0f5 100644
--- a/finder/finder.go
+++ b/finder/finder.go
@@ -1384,7 +1384,7 @@
 		f.onFsError(path, err)
 		// if listing the contents of the directory fails (presumably due to
 		// permission denied), then treat the directory as empty
-		children = []os.FileInfo{}
+		children = nil
 	}
 
 	var subdirs []string