diff --git a/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list.go b/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list.go
index 7c55a02b7..e6e194979 100644
--- a/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list.go
+++ b/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list.go
@@ -677,22 +677,41 @@ func (s3a *S3ApiServer) doListFilerEntries(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient, d
 			}
 
 			if delimiter != "/" || cursor.prefixEndsOnDelimiter {
+				// A trailing-slash prefix (e.g. "logs/") names one directory and asks
+				// whether it exists, so a real but empty directory must be reported for
+				// that probe.
+				explicitDirProbe := cursor.prefixEndsOnDelimiter
 				if cursor.prefixEndsOnDelimiter {
 					cursor.prefixEndsOnDelimiter = false
-					if entry.IsDirectoryKeyObject() {
-						eachEntryFn(dir, entry)
-					}
-				} else if entry.IsDirectoryKeyObject() {
+				}
+				isKeyObject := entry.IsDirectoryKeyObject()
+				if isKeyObject {
 					// Directory key objects (created via PutObject with trailing "/")
 					// must appear as regular keys in recursive listing mode.
 					eachEntryFn(dir, entry)
 				}
-				// Recurse into subdirectory to list any children
-				subNextMarker, subErr := s3a.doListFilerEntries(client, dir+"/"+entry.Name, "", cursor, "", delimiter, false, bucket, eachEntryFn)
+				// Recurse into subdirectory to list any children, noting whether the
+				// subtree produced any entries.
+				childEmitted := false
+				subNextMarker, subErr := s3a.doListFilerEntries(client, dir+"/"+entry.Name, "", cursor, "", delimiter, false, bucket, func(d string, e *filer_pb.Entry) {
+					childEmitted = true
+					eachEntryFn(d, e)
+				})
 				if subErr != nil {
 					err = fmt.Errorf("doListFilerEntries2: %w", subErr)
 					return
 				}
+				// A real but empty directory (created out of band via mount, mkdir or
+				// the filer API, so it carries no MIME) is otherwise invisible to S3
+				// clients that detect directories by listing it under its own "<dir>/"
+				// prefix. Surface it as a directory marker for that explicit probe,
+				// identical to a directory created via PutObject with a trailing "/", so
+				// tools like hadoop-aws can find it. Plain listings are left untouched, so
+				// empty directories left behind by deleted objects are not shown as keys.
+				if explicitDirProbe && !isKeyObject && !childEmitted && !cursor.isTruncated && entry.Attributes != nil {
+					entry.Attributes.Mime = s3_constants.FolderMimeType
+					eachEntryFn(dir, entry)
+				}
 				// println("doListFilerEntries2 dir", dir+"/"+entry.Name, "subNextMarker", subNextMarker)
 				nextMarker = entry.Name + "/" + subNextMarker
 				if cursor.isTruncated {
diff --git a/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list_directory_test.go b/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list_directory_test.go
index 8b3c26b8b..ee7623a2a 100644
--- a/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list_directory_test.go
+++ b/weed/s3api/s3api_object_handlers_list_directory_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/filer_pb"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/s3api/s3_constants"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
@@ -61,3 +62,122 @@ func TestDirectoryListedAsCommonPrefix(t *testing.T) {
 		"Directory should be passed to callback for CommonPrefix processing with delimiter=/")
 	assert.Empty(t, seenFiles, "No files should be seen, only the directory")
 }
+
+// TestEmptyDirectorySurfacedAsMarker reproduces the hadoop-aws / Spark case where a
+// real but empty directory (created via mount, mkdir or the filer API, so it has no
+// MIME) must be visible to S3 clients that detect directories by listing under the
+// "<dir>/" prefix. Such a directory is surfaced as a directory marker, identical to
+// one created via PutObject with a trailing "/".
+func TestEmptyDirectorySurfacedAsMarker(t *testing.T) {
+	s3a := &S3ApiServer{
+		option: &S3ApiServerOption{BucketsPath: "/buckets"},
+	}
+
+	emptyDir := &filer_pb.Entry{
+		Name:        "logs",
+		IsDirectory: true,
+		Attributes:  &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{Mime: ""},
+	}
+	client := &testFilerClient{
+		entriesByDir: map[string][]*filer_pb.Entry{
+			"/buckets/test":      {emptyDir},
+			"/buckets/test/logs": {}, // empty directory has no children
+		},
+	}
+
+	// Mirrors the getFileStatus probe: prefix "logs/" with delimiter "/".
+	cursor := &ListingCursor{maxKeys: 1000, prefixEndsOnDelimiter: true}
+	var seen []*filer_pb.Entry
+	_, err := s3a.doListFilerEntries(client, "/buckets/test", "logs", cursor, "", "/", false, "test",
+		func(dir string, entry *filer_pb.Entry) {
+			seen = append(seen, entry)
+		})
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	if assert.Len(t, seen, 1, "empty directory must be surfaced under the logs/ prefix") {
+		assert.True(t, seen[0].IsDirectoryKeyObject(),
+			"empty directory must be marked as a directory key object so it lists as logs/")
+		assert.Equal(t, s3_constants.FolderMimeType, seen[0].Attributes.Mime)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNonEmptyDirectoryGetsNoPhantomMarker ensures the empty-directory fix does not add
+// a spurious marker for directories that already have children; the children represent
+// the directory.
+func TestNonEmptyDirectoryGetsNoPhantomMarker(t *testing.T) {
+	s3a := &S3ApiServer{
+		option: &S3ApiServerOption{BucketsPath: "/buckets"},
+	}
+
+	dir := &filer_pb.Entry{
+		Name:        "data",
+		IsDirectory: true,
+		Attributes:  &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{Mime: ""},
+	}
+	child := &filer_pb.Entry{
+		Name:        "a.txt",
+		IsDirectory: false,
+		Attributes:  &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{},
+	}
+	client := &testFilerClient{
+		entriesByDir: map[string][]*filer_pb.Entry{
+			"/buckets/test":      {dir},
+			"/buckets/test/data": {child},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// Recursive listing under the "data/" prefix.
+	cursor := &ListingCursor{maxKeys: 1000, prefixEndsOnDelimiter: true}
+	var seen []string
+	_, err := s3a.doListFilerEntries(client, "/buckets/test", "data", cursor, "", "", false, "test",
+		func(dir string, entry *filer_pb.Entry) {
+			seen = append(seen, entry.Name)
+		})
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"a.txt"}, seen, "non-empty directory must be represented by its child only")
+}
+
+// TestEmptyDirectoryHiddenInFlatListing ensures the marker is only surfaced for an
+// explicit "<dir>/" probe, not in a plain (no prefix, no delimiter) listing. An empty
+// directory left behind by deleted objects (e.g. after lifecycle expiration) must not
+// appear as a phantom key, matching AWS S3.
+func TestEmptyDirectoryHiddenInFlatListing(t *testing.T) {
+	s3a := &S3ApiServer{
+		option: &S3ApiServerOption{BucketsPath: "/buckets"},
+	}
+
+	emptyDir := &filer_pb.Entry{
+		Name:        "expire1",
+		IsDirectory: true,
+		Attributes:  &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{Mime: ""},
+	}
+	keepDir := &filer_pb.Entry{
+		Name:        "keep2",
+		IsDirectory: true,
+		Attributes:  &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{Mime: ""},
+	}
+	keepObj := &filer_pb.Entry{
+		Name:        "foo",
+		IsDirectory: false,
+		Attributes:  &filer_pb.FuseAttributes{},
+	}
+	client := &testFilerClient{
+		entriesByDir: map[string][]*filer_pb.Entry{
+			"/buckets/test":         {emptyDir, keepDir},
+			"/buckets/test/expire1": {},
+			"/buckets/test/keep2":   {keepObj},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// Plain flat listing: no prefix, no delimiter.
+	cursor := &ListingCursor{maxKeys: 1000}
+	var seen []string
+	_, err := s3a.doListFilerEntries(client, "/buckets/test", "", cursor, "", "", false, "test",
+		func(dir string, entry *filer_pb.Entry) {
+			seen = append(seen, entry.Name)
+		})
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"foo"}, seen, "flat listing must hide the empty directory and return only real objects")
+}