diff --git a/lib/commands/completion.js b/lib/commands/completion.js
index bce6c3619ccc4..17de3f8af7481 100644
--- a/lib/commands/completion.js
+++ b/lib/commands/completion.js
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ class Completion extends BaseCommand {
     // at this point, if words[1] is some kind of npm command,
     // then complete on it.
     // otherwise, do nothing
-    const impl = this.npm.cmd(cmd)
+    const impl = await this.npm.cmd(cmd)
     if (impl.completion) {
       const comps = await impl.completion(opts)
       return this.wrap(opts, comps)
diff --git a/test/lib/commands/completion.js b/test/lib/commands/completion.js
index 7a7e0a759fbfe..c4addbb291d58 100644
--- a/test/lib/commands/completion.js
+++ b/test/lib/commands/completion.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const npm = {
       }
     },
   },
-  cmd: cmd => {
+  cmd: async cmd => {
     return {
       completion: {
         completion: () => [['>>', '~/.bashrc']],