diff --git a/kythe/go/serving/filetree/filetree.go b/kythe/go/serving/filetree/filetree.go
index 0c9e29dde9..2d9628e079 100644
--- a/kythe/go/serving/filetree/filetree.go
+++ b/kythe/go/serving/filetree/filetree.go
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ func (t *Table) Directory(ctx context.Context, req *ftpb.DirectoryRequest) (*ftp
 	}
 	entries := make([]*ftpb.DirectoryReply_Entry, 0, len(d.Entry))
 	for _, e := range d.Entry {
+		if !req.GetIncludeFilesMissingText() && e.GetMissingText() {
+			continue
+		}
 		re := &ftpb.DirectoryReply_Entry{
 			Name:        e.Name,
 			BuildConfig: e.BuildConfig,
@@ -87,9 +90,6 @@ func (t *Table) Directory(ctx context.Context, req *ftpb.DirectoryRequest) (*ftp
 		switch e.Kind {
 		case srvpb.FileDirectory_FILE:
 			re.Kind = ftpb.DirectoryReply_FILE
-			if !req.GetIncludeFilesMissingText() && e.GetMissingText() {
-				continue
-			}
 		case srvpb.FileDirectory_DIRECTORY:
 			re.Kind = ftpb.DirectoryReply_DIRECTORY
 		default:
diff --git a/kythe/proto/filetree.proto b/kythe/proto/filetree.proto
index c75ca01c4c..74d96f65cd 100644
--- a/kythe/proto/filetree.proto
+++ b/kythe/proto/filetree.proto
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ message DirectoryReply {
     // True if the entry is generated.
     bool generated = 4;
 
-    // Whether the FILE entry is missing text.
+    // Whether the FILE entry is missing text or the DIRECTORY entry contains
+    // only entries with missing_text.
     bool missing_text = 5;
   }
   enum Kind {