diff --git a/conda/cli/main.py b/conda/cli/main.py
index 798df0e16d6..fee36245732 100644
--- a/conda/cli/main.py
+++ b/conda/cli/main.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def completer(prefix, **kwargs):
     # when using sys.argv, first argument is generally conda or __main__.py.  Ignore it.
     if (any(sname in args[0] for sname in ('conda', 'conda.exe',
                                            '__main__.py', 'conda-script.py')) and
-            (args[1] in main_modules + find_commands() or args[1].startswith('-'))):
+            (args[1] in list(sub_parsers.choices.keys()) + find_commands() or args[1].startswith('-'))):
         log.debug("Ignoring first argument (%s), as it is not a subcommand", args[0])
         args = args[1:]