diff --git a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash
index 72a549387..fcefa4ccc 100644
--- a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash
+++ b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash
@@ -114,8 +114,11 @@ complete -F _hledger_extension_completion_function hledger-web
 # Comment out when done
 _hledger_debug() {
     ((HLEDGER_DEBUG)) || return 0
-    local var=${1:-words}
-    printf '\ndebug: %s\n' "$(declare -p "$var")" >&2
+    local var vars=(words)
+    (($#)) && vars=("$@")
+    for var in "${vars[@]}"; do
+        printf '\ndebug: %s\n' "$(declare -p "$var")" >&2
+    done
 }
 
 # Stolen from bash-completion
diff --git a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4 b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4
index dda8ed86f..03eb32e0e 100644
--- a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4
+++ b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4
@@ -114,8 +114,11 @@ complete -F _hledger_extension_completion_function hledger-web
 # Comment out when done
 _hledger_debug() {
     ((HLEDGER_DEBUG)) || return 0
-    local var=${1:-words}
-    printf '\ndebug: %s\n' "$(declare -p "$var")" >&2
+    local var vars=(words)
+    (($#)) && vars=("$@")
+    for var in "${vars[@]}"; do
+        printf '\ndebug: %s\n' "$(declare -p "$var")" >&2
+    done
 }
 
 # Stolen from bash-completion