diff --git a/spec/stdlib/fs-utils-spec.coffee b/spec/stdlib/fs-utils-spec.coffee
index 1e214e1dc..5317be474 100644
--- a/spec/stdlib/fs-utils-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/stdlib/fs-utils-spec.coffee
@@ -130,9 +130,9 @@ describe "fs", ->
       expect(paths).toContain project.resolve('coffee.coffee')
       expect(paths).toContain project.resolve('two-hundred.txt')
 
-    it "returns undefined for paths that aren't directories or don't exist", ->
-      expect(fs.list(project.resolve('sample.js'))).toBeUndefined()
-      expect(fs.list('/non/existent/directory')).toBeUndefined()
+    it "returns an empty array for paths that aren't directories or don't exist", ->
+      expect(fs.list(project.resolve('sample.js'))).toEqual []
+      expect(fs.list('/non/existent/directory')).toEqual []
 
     it "can filter the paths by an optional array of file extensions", ->
       paths = fs.list(project.getPath(), ['.css', 'coffee'])
diff --git a/src/stdlib/fs-utils.coffee b/src/stdlib/fs-utils.coffee
index 1acf41169..a422f1e10 100644
--- a/src/stdlib/fs-utils.coffee
+++ b/src/stdlib/fs-utils.coffee
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ module.exports =
   # Returns an array with all the names of files contained
   # in the directory path.
   list: (rootPath, extensions) ->
-    return unless @isDirectory(rootPath)
+    return [] unless @isDirectory(rootPath)
     paths = fs.readdirSync(rootPath)
     paths = @filterExtensions(paths, extensions) if extensions
     paths = paths.map (path) => @join(rootPath, path)