diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/ls.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/ls.rs
index 49f426e63c..d60df4ca01 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/ls.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/ls.rs
@@ -29,11 +29,8 @@ impl Command for Ls {
 
     fn signature(&self) -> nu_protocol::Signature {
         Signature::build("ls")
-            .optional(
-                "pattern",
-                SyntaxShape::GlobPattern,
-                "the glob pattern to use",
-            )
+            // Using a string instead of a glob pattern shape so it won't auto-expand
+            .optional("pattern", SyntaxShape::String, "the glob pattern to use")
             .switch("all", "Show hidden files", Some('a'))
             .switch(
                 "long",
@@ -69,18 +66,22 @@ impl Command for Ls {
         let ctrl_c = engine_state.ctrlc.clone();
         let call_span = call.head;
         let cwd = current_dir(engine_state, stack)?;
-        let pattern_arg = call.opt::<Spanned<String>>(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
+
+        let pattern_arg: Option<Spanned<String>> = call.opt(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
 
         let (path, p_tag, absolute_path) = match pattern_arg {
             Some(p) => {
                 let p_tag = p.span;
                 let mut p = PathBuf::from(p.item);
-                if p.is_dir() {
+
+                let expanded = nu_path::expand_path_with(&p, &cwd);
+                if expanded.is_dir() {
                     if permission_denied(&p) {
                         #[cfg(unix)]
                         let error_msg = format!(
                             "The permissions of {:o} do not allow access for this user",
-                            p.metadata()
+                            expanded
+                                .metadata()
                                 .expect(
                                     "this shouldn't be called since we already know there is a dir"
                                 )
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ impl Command for Ls {
                             p_tag,
                         ));
                     }
-                    if is_empty_dir(&p) {
+                    if is_empty_dir(&expanded) {
                         return Ok(Value::nothing(call_span).into_pipeline_data());
                     }
                     p.push("*");
diff --git a/crates/nu-engine/src/glob_from.rs b/crates/nu-engine/src/glob_from.rs
index 2edf511507..054ca6be26 100644
--- a/crates/nu-engine/src/glob_from.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-engine/src/glob_from.rs
@@ -25,11 +25,7 @@ pub fn glob_from(
     ShellError,
 > {
     let path = PathBuf::from(&pattern.item);
-    let path = if path.is_relative() {
-        expand_path_with(path, cwd)
-    } else {
-        path
-    };
+    let path = expand_path_with(path, cwd);
 
     let (prefix, pattern) = if path.to_string_lossy().contains('*') {
         // Path is a glob pattern => do not check for existence