diff --git a/cli/fs_util.rs b/cli/fs_util.rs
index abab720f26..88855b0e83 100644
--- a/cli/fs_util.rs
+++ b/cli/fs_util.rs
@@ -236,9 +236,6 @@ where
     .filter_map(|i| i.canonicalize().ok())
     .collect();
 
-  let cur_dir = [std::env::current_dir()?];
-  let files = if files.is_empty() { &cur_dir } else { files };
-
   for file in files {
     for entry in WalkDir::new(file)
       .into_iter()
diff --git a/cli/tests/integration/watcher_tests.rs b/cli/tests/integration/watcher_tests.rs
index ce78485276..a71d6bd512 100644
--- a/cli/tests/integration/watcher_tests.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/integration/watcher_tests.rs
@@ -143,6 +143,72 @@ fn lint_watch_test() {
   drop(t);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn lint_watch_without_args_test() {
+  let t = TempDir::new().expect("tempdir fail");
+  let badly_linted_original =
+    util::testdata_path().join("lint/watch/badly_linted.js");
+  let badly_linted_output =
+    util::testdata_path().join("lint/watch/badly_linted.js.out");
+  let badly_linted_fixed1 =
+    util::testdata_path().join("lint/watch/badly_linted_fixed1.js");
+  let badly_linted_fixed1_output =
+    util::testdata_path().join("lint/watch/badly_linted_fixed1.js.out");
+  let badly_linted_fixed2 =
+    util::testdata_path().join("lint/watch/badly_linted_fixed2.js");
+  let badly_linted_fixed2_output =
+    util::testdata_path().join("lint/watch/badly_linted_fixed2.js.out");
+  let badly_linted = t.path().join("badly_linted.js");
+
+  std::fs::copy(&badly_linted_original, &badly_linted)
+    .expect("Failed to copy file");
+
+  let mut child = util::deno_cmd()
+    .current_dir(t.path())
+    .arg("lint")
+    .arg("--watch")
+    .arg("--unstable")
+    .stdout(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+    .stderr(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+    .spawn()
+    .expect("Failed to spawn script");
+  let mut stderr = child.stderr.as_mut().unwrap();
+  let mut stderr_lines = std::io::BufReader::new(&mut stderr)
+    .lines()
+    .map(|r| r.unwrap());
+
+  // TODO(lucacasonato): remove this timeout. It seems to be needed on Linux.
+  std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1));
+
+  let mut output = read_all_lints(&mut stderr_lines);
+  let expected = std::fs::read_to_string(badly_linted_output).unwrap();
+  assert_eq!(expected, output);
+
+  // Change content of the file again to be badly-linted1
+  std::fs::copy(&badly_linted_fixed1, &badly_linted)
+    .expect("Failed to copy file");
+  std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1));
+
+  output = read_all_lints(&mut stderr_lines);
+  let expected = std::fs::read_to_string(badly_linted_fixed1_output).unwrap();
+  assert_eq!(expected, output);
+
+  // Change content of the file again to be badly-linted1
+  std::fs::copy(&badly_linted_fixed2, &badly_linted)
+    .expect("Failed to copy file");
+  std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1));
+
+  output = read_all_lints(&mut stderr_lines);
+  let expected = std::fs::read_to_string(badly_linted_fixed2_output).unwrap();
+  assert_eq!(expected, output);
+
+  // the watcher process is still alive
+  assert!(child.try_wait().unwrap().is_none());
+
+  child.kill().unwrap();
+  drop(t);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn lint_all_files_on_each_change_test() {
   let t = TempDir::new().expect("tempdir fail");
@@ -232,6 +298,46 @@ fn fmt_watch_test() {
   check_alive_then_kill(child);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn fmt_watch_without_args_test() {
+  let t = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+  let fixed = util::testdata_path().join("badly_formatted_fixed.js");
+  let badly_formatted_original =
+    util::testdata_path().join("badly_formatted.mjs");
+  let badly_formatted = t.path().join("badly_formatted.js");
+  std::fs::copy(&badly_formatted_original, &badly_formatted).unwrap();
+
+  let mut child = util::deno_cmd()
+    .current_dir(t.path())
+    .arg("fmt")
+    .arg("--watch")
+    .arg("--unstable")
+    .stdout(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+    .stderr(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+    .spawn()
+    .unwrap();
+  let (_stdout_lines, stderr_lines) = child_lines(&mut child);
+
+  // TODO(lucacasonato): remove this timeout. It seems to be needed on Linux.
+  std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1));
+
+  assert!(skip_restarting_line(stderr_lines).contains("badly_formatted.js"));
+
+  let expected = std::fs::read_to_string(fixed.clone()).unwrap();
+  let actual = std::fs::read_to_string(badly_formatted.clone()).unwrap();
+  assert_eq!(expected, actual);
+
+  // Change content of the file again to be badly formatted
+  std::fs::copy(&badly_formatted_original, &badly_formatted).unwrap();
+  std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1));
+
+  // Check if file has been automatically formatted by watcher
+  let expected = std::fs::read_to_string(fixed).unwrap();
+  let actual = std::fs::read_to_string(badly_formatted).unwrap();
+  assert_eq!(expected, actual);
+  check_alive_then_kill(child);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn fmt_check_all_files_on_each_change_test() {
   let t = TempDir::new().unwrap();
diff --git a/cli/tools/fmt.rs b/cli/tools/fmt.rs
index 2cc276c5b4..d70c95d29f 100644
--- a/cli/tools/fmt.rs
+++ b/cli/tools/fmt.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ pub async fn format(
     }
   }
 
+  if include_files.is_empty() {
+    include_files = [std::env::current_dir()?].to_vec();
+  }
+
   // Now do the same for options
   let fmt_options = resolve_fmt_options(
     &fmt_flags,
diff --git a/cli/tools/lint.rs b/cli/tools/lint.rs
index 1f85e8b02a..706ecbbd8e 100644
--- a/cli/tools/lint.rs
+++ b/cli/tools/lint.rs
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ pub async fn lint(
     }
   }
 
+  if include_files.is_empty() {
+    include_files = [std::env::current_dir()?].to_vec();
+  }
+
   let reporter_kind = if json {
     LintReporterKind::Json
   } else {