diff --git a/src/GitList/Util/Routing.php b/src/GitList/Util/Routing.php
index 7e67c29..e12d283 100644
--- a/src/GitList/Util/Routing.php
+++ b/src/GitList/Util/Routing.php
@@ -71,11 +71,6 @@ class Routing
             $path = substr($path, 1);
         }
 
-        $commitHasPath = $repository->pathExists($commitish, $path);
-        if ($commitHasPath !== true) {
-            $app->abort(404, "\"$path\" does not exist in \"$commitish\".");
-        }
-
         return array($commitish, $path);
     }
 
diff --git a/views/tree.twig b/views/tree.twig
index 9dfa8a5..a33bbb4 100644
--- a/views/tree.twig
+++ b/views/tree.twig
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
         {% endblock %}
     {% endembed %}
 
+    {% if files is not empty %}
     <table class="tree">
         <thead>
             <tr>
@@ -54,6 +55,9 @@
             {% endfor %}
         </tbody>
     </table>
+    {% else %}
+        <p>This repository is empty.</p>
+    {% endif %}
     {% if readme is defined and readme is not empty %}
         <div class="readme-view">
             <div class="md-header">