diff --git a/lib/miaou.completion b/lib/miaou.completion
index 23d4857..416e2d7 100644
--- a/lib/miaou.completion
+++ b/lib/miaou.completion
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ function _miaou_start {
 
     # containers...
     local suggestions=($(compgen -W "$(_incus_stopped_container)" -- "$cur"))
-    COMP_WORDS=("${COMP_WORDS[@]:1:${#COMP_WORDS[@]}-2}") # drop first and last items
-    _array_subtract suggestions COMP_WORDS COMPREPLY
+    local previous_containers=("${COMP_WORDS[@]:1:${#COMP_WORDS[@]}-2}") # drop first and last items
+    _array_subtract suggestions previous_containers COMPREPLY
 }
 
 function _miaou_stop {
@@ -222,9 +222,8 @@ function _miaou_stop {
 
     # containers...
     local suggestions=($(compgen -W "$(_incus_running_container)" -- "$cur"))
-    COMP_WORDS=("${COMP_WORDS[@]:1:${#COMP_WORDS[@]}-2}") # drop first and last items
-    _array_subtract suggestions COMP_WORDS COMPREPLY
-
+    local previous_containers=("${COMP_WORDS[@]:1:${#COMP_WORDS[@]}-2}") # drop first and last items
+    _array_subtract suggestions previous_containers COMPREPLY
 }
 
 complete -F _miaou_login "miaou-login"