### Please describe the problem.


[[!format sh """
(git-annex)hopa:/tmp/1038_hyperface[master]git-annex
$> git annex view 'needed-by=*'
view (searching...) fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database
fatal: Unable to add (null) to database

git-annex: fd:14: hGetLine: end of file
failed
git-annex: user error (git ["--git-dir=.git","--work-tree=.","--literal-pathspecs","hash-object","-w","--stdin-paths","--no-filters"] exited 128)


$> git annex version           
git-annex version: 6.20180416+gitg86b18966f-1~ndall+1

"""]]

copy of the repository will be provided via email

[[!meta author=yoh]]
[[!tag projects/datalad]]



> [[fixed|done]] --[[Joey]]
