diff --git a/src/frontend/parser/complete.c b/src/frontend/parser/complete.c
index 794ae3b3a..7264167b9 100644
--- a/src/frontend/parser/complete.c
+++ b/src/frontend/parser/complete.c
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ cp_ccom(wordlist *wlist, char *buf, bool esc)
     int j, arg;
 
     buf = cp_unquote(copy(buf));
-    cp_wstrip(buf);
     if (wlist) {   /* Not the first word. */
         cc = getccom(wlist->wl_word);
         if (cc && cc->cc_invalid)