diff --git a/swh/scanner/cli.py b/swh/scanner/cli.py
--- a/swh/scanner/cli.py
+++ b/swh/scanner/cli.py
@@ -49,9 +49,8 @@
                 )
                 raise InvalidDirectoryPath(error_msg)
 
-        if glob.glob(pattern):
-            regex = fnmatch.translate(str(PosixPath(pattern)))
-            yield re.compile(regex)
+        regex = fnmatch.translate(str(PosixPath(pattern)))
+        yield re.compile(regex)
 
 
 @scanner.command(name="scan")
diff --git a/swh/scanner/tests/test_cli.py b/swh/scanner/tests/test_cli.py
--- a/swh/scanner/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/swh/scanner/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
     patterns = (str(temp_folder["subdir"]), "/none")
     sre_patterns = [reg_obj for reg_obj in extract_regex_objs(root_path, patterns)]
-    assert len(sre_patterns) == 1
+    assert len(sre_patterns) == 2
 
     patterns = (*patterns, "/tmp")
     with pytest.raises(InvalidDirectoryPath):