diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/scandir.3 b/lib/libc/gen/scandir.3
--- a/lib/libc/gen/scandir.3
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/scandir.3
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.Dd June 19, 2025
+.Dd June 20, 2025
 .Dt SCANDIR 3
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@
 It returns the number of entries in the array.
 A pointer to the array of directory entries is stored in the location
 referenced by
-.Fa namelist .
+.Fa namelist
+(even if no entries were selected).
 .Pp
 The
 .Fa select
diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/scandir.c b/lib/libc/gen/scandir.c
--- a/lib/libc/gen/scandir.c
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/scandir.c
@@ -74,9 +74,13 @@
 #endif
 {
 	struct dirent *d, *p = NULL, **names = NULL, **names2;
-	size_t arraysz = 0, numitems = 0;
+	size_t arraysz = 32, numitems = 0;
 	int serrno;
 
+	names = malloc(arraysz * sizeof(*names));
+	if (names == NULL)
+		return (-1);
+
 	while ((d = readdir(dirp)) != NULL) {
 		if (select != NULL && !SELECT(d))
 			continue;	/* just selected names */
diff --git a/lib/libc/tests/gen/scandir_test.c b/lib/libc/tests/gen/scandir_test.c
--- a/lib/libc/tests/gen/scandir_test.c
+++ b/lib/libc/tests/gen/scandir_test.c
@@ -103,10 +103,32 @@
 	ATF_REQUIRE_EQ(0, close(fd));
 }
 
+static int
+scandir_none(const struct dirent *ent __unused)
+{
+	return (0);
+}
+
+ATF_TC(scandir_none);
+ATF_TC_HEAD(scandir_none, tc)
+{
+	atf_tc_set_md_var(tc, "descr",
+	    "Test scandir() when no entries are selected");
+}
+ATF_TC_BODY(scandir_none, tc)
+{
+	struct dirent **namelist = NULL;
+
+	ATF_REQUIRE_EQ(0, scandir(".", &namelist, scandir_none, alphasort));
+	ATF_REQUIRE(namelist);
+	free(namelist);
+}
+
 ATF_TP_ADD_TCS(tp)
 {
 	ATF_TP_ADD_TC(tp, scandir_test);
 	ATF_TP_ADD_TC(tp, fscandir_test);
 	ATF_TP_ADD_TC(tp, scandirat_test);
+	ATF_TP_ADD_TC(tp, scandir_none);
 	return (atf_no_error());
 }