diff --git a/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py b/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py
index 3e085b2fa..5ba250d6c 100644
--- a/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py
+++ b/notebook/services/contents/filemanager.py
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ class FileContentsManager(FileManagerMixin, ContentsManager):
                     self.log.debug("%s not a regular file", os_path)
                     continue
 
-                if self.should_list(name) and not is_file_hidden(os_path, stat_res=st):
+                if self.should_list(name) and ((not is_file_hidden(os_path, stat_res=st)) or self.allow_hidden):
                     contents.append(self.get(
                         path='%s/%s' % (path, name),
                         content=False)