diff --git a/builtin-add.c b/builtin-add.c
index 78989dad8c..581a2a1748 100644
--- a/builtin-add.c
+++ b/builtin-add.c
@@ -97,35 +97,6 @@ static void treat_gitlinks(const char **pathspec)
 	}
 }
 
-static void fill_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char **pathspec,
-		int ignored_too)
-{
-	const char *path, *base;
-	int baselen;
-
-	/* Set up the default git porcelain excludes */
-	memset(dir, 0, sizeof(*dir));
-	if (!ignored_too) {
-		dir->flags |= DIR_COLLECT_IGNORED;
-		setup_standard_excludes(dir);
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * Calculate common prefix for the pathspec, and
-	 * use that to optimize the directory walk
-	 */
-	baselen = common_prefix(pathspec);
-	path = ".";
-	base = "";
-	if (baselen)
-		path = base = xmemdupz(*pathspec, baselen);
-
-	/* Read the directory and prune it */
-	read_directory(dir, path, base, baselen, pathspec);
-	if (pathspec)
-		prune_directory(dir, pathspec, baselen);
-}
-
 static void refresh(int verbose, const char **pathspec)
 {
 	char *seen;
@@ -343,9 +314,21 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		die("index file corrupt");
 	treat_gitlinks(pathspec);
 
-	if (add_new_files)
+	if (add_new_files) {
+		int baselen;
+
+		/* Set up the default git porcelain excludes */
+		memset(&dir, 0, sizeof(dir));
+		if (!ignored_too) {
+			dir.flags |= DIR_COLLECT_IGNORED;
+			setup_standard_excludes(&dir);
+		}
+
 		/* This picks up the paths that are not tracked */
-		fill_directory(&dir, pathspec, ignored_too);
+		baselen = fill_directory(&dir, pathspec);
+		if (pathspec)
+			prune_directory(&dir, pathspec, baselen);
+	}
 
 	if (refresh_only) {
 		refresh(verbose, pathspec);
diff --git a/builtin-clean.c b/builtin-clean.c
index 1c1b6d26e9..2d8c735d48 100644
--- a/builtin-clean.c
+++ b/builtin-clean.c
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ int cmd_clean(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int ignored_only = 0, baselen = 0, config_set = 0, errors = 0;
 	struct strbuf directory = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct dir_struct dir;
-	const char *path, *base;
 	static const char **pathspec;
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *qname;
@@ -78,16 +77,7 @@ int cmd_clean(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	pathspec = get_pathspec(prefix, argv);
 	read_cache();
 
-	/*
-	 * Calculate common prefix for the pathspec, and
-	 * use that to optimize the directory walk
-	 */
-	baselen = common_prefix(pathspec);
-	path = ".";
-	base = "";
-	if (baselen)
-		path = base = xmemdupz(*pathspec, baselen);
-	read_directory(&dir, path, base, baselen, pathspec);
+	fill_directory(&dir, pathspec);
 
 	if (pathspec)
 		seen = xmalloc(argc > 0 ? argc : 1);
diff --git a/builtin-ls-files.c b/builtin-ls-files.c
index 2312866605..f473220502 100644
--- a/builtin-ls-files.c
+++ b/builtin-ls-files.c
@@ -161,12 +161,7 @@ static void show_files(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *prefix)
 
 	/* For cached/deleted files we don't need to even do the readdir */
 	if (show_others || show_killed) {
-		const char *path = ".", *base = "";
-		int baselen = prefix_len;
-
-		if (baselen)
-			path = base = prefix;
-		read_directory(dir, path, base, baselen, pathspec);
+		fill_directory(dir, pathspec);
 		if (show_others)
 			show_other_files(dir);
 		if (show_killed)
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index 74b3bbf6fd..0c8553b27c 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ static int read_directory_recursive(struct dir_struct *dir,
 	int check_only, const struct path_simplify *simplify);
 static int get_dtype(struct dirent *de, const char *path);
 
-int common_prefix(const char **pathspec)
+static int common_prefix(const char **pathspec)
 {
 	const char *path, *slash, *next;
 	int prefix;
@@ -52,6 +52,27 @@ int common_prefix(const char **pathspec)
 	return prefix;
 }
 
+int fill_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char **pathspec)
+{
+	const char *path, *base;
+	int baselen;
+
+	/*
+	 * Calculate common prefix for the pathspec, and
+	 * use that to optimize the directory walk
+	 */
+	baselen = common_prefix(pathspec);
+	path = "";
+	base = "";
+
+	if (baselen)
+		path = base = xmemdupz(*pathspec, baselen);
+
+	/* Read the directory and prune it */
+	read_directory(dir, path, base, baselen, pathspec);
+	return baselen;
+}
+
 /*
  * Does 'match' match the given name?
  * A match is found if
diff --git a/dir.h b/dir.h
index 541286ad1d..f9d69dd15f 100644
--- a/dir.h
+++ b/dir.h
@@ -61,13 +61,12 @@ struct dir_struct {
 	char basebuf[PATH_MAX];
 };
 
-extern int common_prefix(const char **pathspec);
-
 #define MATCHED_RECURSIVELY 1
 #define MATCHED_FNMATCH 2
 #define MATCHED_EXACTLY 3
 extern int match_pathspec(const char **pathspec, const char *name, int namelen, int prefix, char *seen);
 
+extern int fill_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char **pathspec);
 extern int read_directory(struct dir_struct *, const char *path, const char *base, int baselen, const char **pathspec);
 
 extern int excluded(struct dir_struct *, const char *, int *);
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 0ca4b13c29..47735d8129 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ static void wt_status_print_untracked(struct wt_status *s)
 			DIR_SHOW_OTHER_DIRECTORIES | DIR_HIDE_EMPTY_DIRECTORIES;
 	setup_standard_excludes(&dir);
 
-	read_directory(&dir, ".", "", 0, NULL);
+	fill_directory(&dir, NULL);
 	for(i = 0; i < dir.nr; i++) {
 		struct dir_entry *ent = dir.entries[i];
 		if (!cache_name_is_other(ent->name, ent->len))