diff --git a/bash_completion b/bash_completion
index 77e76b31..e88e2fc8 100644
--- a/bash_completion
+++ b/bash_completion
@@ -740,7 +740,9 @@ _init_completion()
             i=$(( ++i ))
         fi
     done
-    [[ $cword -ge 1 ]] && prev=${words[cword-1]} || prev=
+
+    [[ $cword -eq 0 ]] && return 1
+    prev=${words[cword-1]}
 
     [[ $split ]] && _split_longopt && split=true