--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -1441,10 +1441,10 @@ def identify(ui, repo):
hash identifiers, followed by a "+" if there are uncommitted changes
in the working directory, followed by a list of tags for this revision.
"""
+
parents = [p for p in repo.dirstate.parents() if p != nullid]
if not parents:
- ui.write(_("unknown\n"))
- return
+ parents = [nullid]
hexfunc = ui.debugflag and hex or short
modified, added, removed, deleted = repo.status()[:4]
--- a/tests/test-tags.out
+++ b/tests/test-tags.out
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-unknown
+000000000000 tip
0 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
0acdaf898367 tip
tip 0:0acdaf898367