diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 638640f..47590a3 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # lobstr (development version)
 
+* `ref()` lists all contents of environments even those with names beginning
+  with `.` (@krlmlr, #53).
+
 * `obj_size()` and `sxp()` now support non-nil terminated pairlists.
 
 * `obj_sizes()` no longer returns NA for objects larger than 2^31 bytes (#45)
diff --git a/R/ref.R b/R/ref.R
index 9d7b34f..be743ac 100644
--- a/R/ref.R
+++ b/R/ref.R
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ ref_tree <- function(x, character = FALSE, seen = child_env(emptyenv()), layout
   if (is.list(x)) {
     subtrees <- lapply(x, ref_tree, layout = layout, seen = seen, character = character)
   } else if (is.environment(x)) {
-    subtrees <- lapply(as.list(x), ref_tree, layout = layout, seen = seen, character = character)
+    subtrees <- lapply(as.list(x, all.names = TRUE), ref_tree, layout = layout, seen = seen, character = character)
   } else if (is.character(x)) {
     subtrees <- ref_tree_chr(x, layout = layout, seen = seen)
   }
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/ref.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/ref.md
index 24d6dbd..ce1e7af 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/ref.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/ref.md
@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@
       ├─b = [2:0x002] 
       └─c = [1:0x001] 
 
+# environment shows objects beginning with .
+
+    Code
+      e <- env(. = 1:10)
+      ref(e)
+    Output
+      █ [1:0x001] <env> 
+      └─. = [2:0x002] <int> 
+
 # can display ref to global string pool on request
 
     Code
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-ref.R b/tests/testthat/test-ref.R
index 878e7d9..4ac976c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-ref.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-ref.R
@@ -28,6 +28,17 @@ test_that("basic environment display", {
   })
 })
 
+test_that("environment shows objects beginning with .", {
+  skip_on_os("windows")
+
+  test_addr_reset()
+  expect_snapshot({
+    e <- env(. = 1:10)
+    ref(e)
+  })
+})
+
+
 test_that("can display ref to global string pool on request", {
   skip_on_os("windows")