diff --git a/+io/parseGroup.m b/+io/parseGroup.m
index 46a87c6c..09c4d4e3 100644
--- a/+io/parseGroup.m
+++ b/+io/parseGroup.m
@@ -55,12 +55,6 @@
 if isempty(Type.typename)
     parsed = types.untyped.Set(...
         [attributeProperties; datasetProperties; groupProperties; linkProperties]);
-    
-    if isempty(parsed)
-        %special case where a directory is simply empty.  Return itself but
-        %empty
-        parsed(root) = [];
-    end
 else
     if groupProperties.Count > 0
         %elide group properties
diff --git a/+types/+untyped/Set.m b/+types/+untyped/Set.m
index 0fb36837..22245144 100644
--- a/+types/+untyped/Set.m
+++ b/+types/+untyped/Set.m
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@
             cnt = obj.Map.Count;
         end
         
+        % overloads isemty
+        function tf = isempty(obj)
+            tf = obj.Count == 0;
+        end
+
         %overloads size(obj)
         function varargout = size(obj, dim)
             if nargin > 1
@@ -80,7 +85,7 @@
                     varargout{1} = obj.Count;
                 end
             else
-                if nargout == 1
+                if nargout == 0 || nargout == 1
                     varargout{1} = [obj.Count, 1];
                 else
                     varargout = num2cell( ones(1, nargout) );