diff --git a/Git/LsFiles.hs b/Git/LsFiles.hs
index ca08fe2618..82ce0edaf6 100644
--- a/Git/LsFiles.hs
+++ b/Git/LsFiles.hs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ typeChanged' ps l repo = do
 	return (map (\f -> relPathDirToFile cwd $ top </> f) fs, cleanup)
   where
 	prefix = [Params "diff --name-only --diff-filter=T -z"]
-	suffix = Param "--" : map File l
+	suffix = Param "--" : (if null l then [File "."] else map File l)
 
 {- A item in conflict has two possible values.
  - Either can be Nothing, when that side deleted the file. -}
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 2facb33a05..bf6016f764 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ git-annex (4.20130228) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * assistant: XMPP git pull and push requests are cached and sent when
     presence of a new client is detected.
   * assistant: Fix syncing after XMPP pairing.
+  * Bugfix: git annex add, when ran without any file or directory specified,
+    should add files in the current directory, but not act on unlocked files
+    elsewhere in the tree.
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:20:40 -0400