diff --git a/share/completions/nmcli.fish b/share/completions/nmcli.fish
index 947313b17..996683544 100644
--- a/share/completions/nmcli.fish
+++ b/share/completions/nmcli.fish
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-set -l nmoutput (nmcli -g NAME connection show --active 2>/dev/null)
-or exit # networkmanager isn't running, no point in completing
-set -l cname (string escape -- $nmoutput\t"Active connection")
-set -a cname (string escape -- (nmcli -g NAME connection show)\t"Connection")
-set -l ifname (string escape -- (nmcli -g DEVICE device status)\t"Interface name")
-set -l ssid (string escape -- (nmcli -g SSID device wifi list)\t"SSID")
-set -l bssid (string escape -- (nmcli -g BSSID device wifi list | string replace --all \\ '')\t"BSSID")
+set -l nmoutput '(nmcli -g NAME connection show --active 2>/dev/null)'
+set -l cname "$nmoutput"\t"Active connection"
+set -a cname '(nmcli -g NAME connection show 2>/dev/null)\t"Connection"'
+set -l ifname '(nmcli -g DEVICE device status 2>/dev/null)\t"Interface name"'
+set -l ssid '(nmcli -g SSID device wifi list 2>/dev/null)\t"SSID"'
+set -l bssid '(nmcli -g BSSID device wifi list 2>/dev/null | string replace --all \\\ "")\t"BSSID"'
 
 set -l nmcli_commands general networking radio connection device agent monitor help
 set -l nmcli_general status hostname permissions logging help