diff --git a/lib/filters.js b/lib/filters.js
index f3237a0a..f4542083 100644
--- a/lib/filters.js
+++ b/lib/filters.js
@@ -50,13 +50,15 @@ export const refFilter = (data, { domain, domainOnly, raw }) => {
   const links = {};
 
   const isValidRef = referrer => {
-    return (
-      referrer !== '' && referrer !== null && !referrer.startsWith('/') && !referrer.startsWith('#')
-    );
+    return referrer !== null && !referrer.startsWith('/') && !referrer.startsWith('#');
   };
 
   const cleanUrl = url => {
     try {
+      if (url === '') {
+        return 'direct';
+      }
+
       const { hostname, origin, pathname, searchParams, protocol } = new URL(url);
 
       if (regex.test(url)) {