diff --git a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash
index 8ebb3424c..7c6fb4f9e 100644
--- a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash
+++ b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash
@@ -213,6 +213,8 @@ _hledger_compreply_optarg() {
         optionIndex=$((cword - 2))
     fi
 
+    [[ ${words[optionIndex]} == -* ]] || return
+
     case ${words[optionIndex]} in
         --alias)
             compopt -o nospace
diff --git a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4 b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4
index 26f58a594..7aeb4593c 100644
--- a/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4
+++ b/shell-completion/hledger-completion.bash.m4
@@ -213,6 +213,8 @@ _hledger_compreply_optarg() {
         optionIndex=$((cword - 2))
     fi
 
+    [[ ${words[optionIndex]} == -* ]] || return
+
     case ${words[optionIndex]} in
         --alias)
             compopt -o nospace