Can you do varfun(@(x) x, temp, 'GroupingVariables', {})?

I am trying to construct a varfun statement where the GroupingVariables change. Something like

varfun(@(x) x, temp, 'GroupingVariables', groupingVars)

However, I am finding that when an empty array or cell array is supplied by groupingVars, varfun hangs. When you remove the 'GroupingVariables' name/value pair this code returns temp, as expected.