diff --git a/git-secrets b/git-secrets
index 11be153..3e2be47 100755
--- a/git-secrets
+++ b/git-secrets
@@ -111,18 +111,50 @@ scan_history() {
 git_grep() {
   local options="$1"; shift
   local files=("${@}") combined_patterns=$(load_combined_patterns)
+  local status=0
 
   [ -z "${combined_patterns}" ] && return 1
-  GREP_OPTIONS= LC_ALL=C git grep -nwHEI ${options} "${combined_patterns}" -- "${files[@]}"
+  if [ ${#files[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
+    GREP_OPTIONS= LC_ALL=C git grep -nwHEI ${options} "${combined_patterns}" --
+    status=$?
+  else
+    for file in "${files[@]}"
+    do
+      GREP_OPTIONS= LC_ALL=C git grep -nwHEI ${options} "${combined_patterns}" -- "${file}"
+      (( status += $? ))
+    done
+  fi
+
+  if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
+    return 1
+  else
+    return 0
+  fi
 }
 
 # Performs a regular grep, taking into account patterns and recursion.
 # Note: this function returns 1 on success, 0 on error.
 regular_grep() {
   local files=("${@}") patterns=$(load_patterns) action='skip'
+  local status=0
   [ -z "${patterns}" ] && return 1
   [ ${RECURSIVE} -eq 1 ] && action="recurse"
-  GREP_OPTIONS= LC_ALL=C grep -d "${action}" -nwHEI "${patterns}" "${files[@]}"
+  if [ ${#files[@]} -eq 0]; then
+    GREP_OPTIONS= LC_ALL=C grep -d "${action}" -nwHEI "${patterns}"
+    status=$?
+  else
+    for file in "${files[@]}"
+    do
+      GREP_OPTIONS= LC_ALL=C grep -d "${action}" -nwHEI "${patterns}" "${file}"
+      (( status += $? ))
+    done
+  fi
+
+  if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
+    return 1
+  else
+    return 0
+  fi
 }
 
 # Process the given status ($1) and output variables ($2).