diff --git a/src/basic_memory/api/routers/directory_router.py b/src/basic_memory/api/routers/directory_router.py
index 89ce48a6..bb2150ab 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/api/routers/directory_router.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/api/routers/directory_router.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from basic_memory.schemas.directory import DirectoryNode
 router = APIRouter(prefix="/directory", tags=["directory"])
 
 
-@router.get("/tree", response_model=DirectoryNode)
+@router.get("/tree", response_model=DirectoryNode, response_model_exclude_none=True)
 async def get_directory_tree(
     directory_service: DirectoryServiceDep,
     project_id: ProjectIdDep,
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ async def get_directory_tree(
     return tree
 
 
-@router.get("/structure", response_model=DirectoryNode)
+@router.get("/structure", response_model=DirectoryNode, response_model_exclude_none=True)
 async def get_directory_structure(
     directory_service: DirectoryServiceDep,
     project_id: ProjectIdDep,
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ async def get_directory_structure(
     return structure
 
 
-@router.get("/list", response_model=List[DirectoryNode])
+@router.get("/list", response_model=List[DirectoryNode], response_model_exclude_none=True)
 async def list_directory(
     directory_service: DirectoryServiceDep,
     project_id: ProjectIdDep,