diff --git a/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/cntrb_file_heatmap.py b/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/cntrb_file_heatmap.py
index d7cc8d5a..4720b159 100644
--- a/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/cntrb_file_heatmap.py
+++ b/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/cntrb_file_heatmap.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
                                     id=f"directory-{PAGE}-{VIZ_ID}",
                                     classNames={"values": "dmc-multiselect-custom"},
                                     searchable=True,
-                                    clearable=True,
+                                    clearable=False,
                                 ),
                             ],
                             className="me-2",
@@ -192,7 +192,9 @@ def directory_dropdown(repo_id):
 
     # take all of the files, split on the last instance of a / to get directories and top level files
     directories = df["file_path"].str.rsplit("/", n=1).str[0].tolist()
-    directories = list(set(directories))
+    # applies another rsplit to make sure directories that only have folders are included
+    folder_only_directories = [x.rsplit("/", 1)[0] for x in directories]
+    directories = list(set(directories + folder_only_directories))
 
     # get all of the file names to filter out of the directory set
     top_level_files = df["file_name"][df[1].isnull()].tolist()
diff --git a/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/contribution_file_heatmap.py b/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/contribution_file_heatmap.py
index ea3220f2..06341f9a 100644
--- a/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/contribution_file_heatmap.py
+++ b/8Knot/pages/codebase/visualizations/contribution_file_heatmap.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
                                     id=f"directory-{PAGE}-{VIZ_ID}",
                                     classNames={"values": "dmc-multiselect-custom"},
                                     searchable=True,
-                                    clearable=True,
+                                    clearable=False,
                                 ),
                             ],
                             className="me-2",
@@ -210,7 +210,9 @@ def directory_dropdown(repo_id):
 
     # get all of the file names to filter out of the directory set
     top_level_files = df["file_name"][df[1].isnull()].tolist()
-    directories = [f for f in directories if f not in top_level_files]
+    # applies another rsplit to make sure directories that only have folders are included
+    folder_only_directories = [x.rsplit("/", 1)[0] for x in directories]
+    directories = list(set(directories + folder_only_directories))
 
     # sort alphabetically
     directories = sorted(directories)