diff --git a/doc/man/man1/tfman.1.md b/doc/man/man1/tfman.1.md
index ea32cdebc..cdd569e74 100644
--- a/doc/man/man1/tfman.1.md
+++ b/doc/man/man1/tfman.1.md
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ The following keypresses are recognized:
 
 # BUGS
 
+**tfman** does not currently (and is unlikely to ever) support the full
+**groff** macro language.
+
 # SEE ALSO
 
 **man(1)**,
diff --git a/src/lib/tree.c b/src/lib/tree.c
index 2b143f945..3f23c8035 100644
--- a/src/lib/tree.c
+++ b/src/lib/tree.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ typedef struct nctree {
   nctree_int_item* curitem; // item addressed by the path
   unsigned maxdepth;        // maximum hierarchy level
   unsigned* currentpath;    // array of |maxdepth|+1 elements, ended by UINT_MAX
-  int activerow;            // active row 0 <= activerow < dimy
+  int activerow;            // active row -1 <= activerow < dimy
   int indentcols;           // cols to indent per level
   uint64_t bchannels;       // border glyph channels
 } nctree;
@@ -81,10 +81,16 @@ goto_last_item(nctree* n){
 
 static void
 goto_first_item(nctree* n){
-  n->currentpath[0] = 0;
-  n->currentpath[1] = UINT_MAX;
-  n->curitem = &n->items.subs[0];
-  n->activerow = 0;
+  if(n->maxdepth == 0){
+    n->currentpath[0] = UINT_MAX;
+    n->curitem = NULL;
+    n->activerow = -1;
+  }else{
+    n->currentpath[0] = 0;
+    n->currentpath[1] = UINT_MAX;
+    n->curitem = &n->items.subs[0];
+    n->activerow = 0;
+  }
 }
 
 // the initial path ought point to the first item.
@@ -141,10 +147,6 @@ nctree* nctree_create(ncplane* n, const nctree_options* opts){
   if(opts->flags){
     logwarn("Passed invalid flags 0x%016" PRIx64 "\n", opts->flags);
   }
-  if(opts->count == 0 || opts->items == NULL){
-    logerror("Can't create empty tree\n");
-    goto error;
-  }
   if(opts->nctreecb == NULL){
     logerror("Can't use NULL callback\n");
     goto error;
@@ -390,6 +392,9 @@ destroy_below(nctree* n, nctree_int_item* nii, unsigned* path, int distance){
 // to hold n->maxdepth + 1 unsigneds.
 static int
 nctree_inner_redraw(nctree* n, unsigned* tmppath){
+  if(n->activerow < 0){
+    return 0;
+  }
   ncplane* ncp = n->items.ncp;
   if(ncplane_cursor_move_yx(ncp, n->activerow, 0)){
     return -1;