diff --git a/s3fs/core.py b/s3fs/core.py
index 076a69d8..8150ebfe 100644
--- a/s3fs/core.py
+++ b/s3fs/core.py
@@ -996,9 +996,12 @@ async def _ls(self, path, detail=False, refresh=False, versions=False):
         else:
             files = await self._lsdir(path, refresh, versions=versions)
             if not files and "/" in path:
-                files = await self._lsdir(
-                    self._parent(path), refresh=refresh, versions=versions
-                )
+                try:
+                    files = await self._lsdir(
+                        self._parent(path), refresh=refresh, versions=versions
+                    )
+                except IOError:
+                    pass
                 files = [
                     o
                     for o in files