diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/command_completions.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/command_completions.rs
index 503e3b566b..b09e128c63 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/command_completions.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/command_completions.rs
@@ -9,20 +9,20 @@ use nu_protocol::{
 use reedline::Suggestion;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
-pub struct CommandCompletion {
+pub struct CommandCompletion<'a> {
     engine_state: Arc<EngineState>,
-    flattened: Vec<(Span, FlatShape)>,
+    flattened: &'a [(Span, FlatShape)],
     flat_idx: usize,
-    flat_shape: FlatShape,
+    flat_shape: &'a FlatShape,
 }
 
-impl CommandCompletion {
+impl<'a> CommandCompletion<'a> {
     pub fn new(
         engine_state: Arc<EngineState>,
         _: &StateWorkingSet,
-        flattened: Vec<(Span, FlatShape)>,
+        flattened: &'a [(Span, FlatShape)],
         flat_idx: usize,
-        flat_shape: FlatShape,
+        flat_shape: &'a FlatShape,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             engine_state,
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ impl CommandCompletion {
     }
 }
 
-impl Completer for CommandCompletion {
+impl<'a> Completer for CommandCompletion<'a> {
     fn fetch(
         &mut self,
         working_set: &StateWorkingSet,
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/completer.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/completer.rs
index c8272fe974..7a80bb653a 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/completer.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/completer.rs
@@ -1,20 +1,23 @@
 use crate::completions::{
-    CommandCompletion, Completer, CustomCompletion, FileCompletion, FlagCompletion,
-    VariableCompletion,
+    CommandCompletion, Completer, CompletionOptions, CustomCompletion, FileCompletion,
+    FlagCompletion, VariableCompletion,
 };
 use nu_parser::{flatten_expression, parse, FlatShape};
 use nu_protocol::{
     engine::{EngineState, Stack, StateWorkingSet},
     Span, Value,
 };
-use reedline::{Completer as ReedlineCompleter, Suggestion};
+use reedline::{Completer as ReedlineCompleter, Span as ReedlineSpan, Suggestion};
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct NuCompleter {
     engine_state: Arc<EngineState>,
     stack: Stack,
     config: Option<Value>,
+    cached_results: Option<(Vec<Suggestion>, CompletionOptions)>,
+    last_fetch: Option<Instant>,
 }
 
 impl NuCompleter {
@@ -23,12 +26,14 @@ impl NuCompleter {
             engine_state,
             stack,
             config,
+            cached_results: None,
+            last_fetch: None,
         }
     }
 
     // Process the completion for a given completer
     fn process_completion<T: Completer>(
-        &self,
+        &mut self,
         completer: &mut T,
         working_set: &StateWorkingSet,
         prefix: Vec<u8>,
@@ -36,9 +41,41 @@ impl NuCompleter {
         offset: usize,
         pos: usize,
     ) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
+        // Cleanup the result cache if it's old
+        if let Some(instant) = self.last_fetch {
+            if instant.elapsed() > Duration::from_millis(1000) {
+                self.cached_results = None;
+            }
+        }
+
         // Fetch
-        let (mut suggestions, options) =
-            completer.fetch(working_set, prefix.clone(), new_span, offset, pos);
+        let (mut suggestions, options) = match self.cached_results.clone() {
+            Some((suggestions, options)) => {
+                // Update cached spans
+                let suggestions = suggestions
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .map(|suggestion| Suggestion {
+                        value: suggestion.value,
+                        description: suggestion.description,
+                        extra: suggestion.extra,
+                        span: ReedlineSpan {
+                            start: new_span.start - offset,
+                            end: new_span.end - offset,
+                        },
+                    })
+                    .collect();
+
+                (suggestions, options)
+            }
+            None => {
+                let result = completer.fetch(working_set, prefix.clone(), new_span, offset, pos);
+
+                // Update cache results
+                self.cached_results = Some(result.clone());
+
+                result
+            }
+        };
 
         // Filter
         suggestions = completer.filter(prefix.clone(), suggestions, options.clone());
@@ -46,11 +83,15 @@ impl NuCompleter {
         // Sort
         suggestions = completer.sort(suggestions, prefix, options);
 
+        // Update last fetch
+        self.last_fetch = Some(Instant::now());
+
         suggestions
     }
 
     fn completion_helper(&mut self, line: &str, pos: usize) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
-        let mut working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(&self.engine_state);
+        let engine_state = self.engine_state.clone();
+        let mut working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(&engine_state);
         let offset = working_set.next_span_start();
         let mut line = line.to_string();
         line.insert(pos, 'a');
@@ -143,9 +184,9 @@ impl NuCompleter {
                                 let mut completer = CommandCompletion::new(
                                     self.engine_state.clone(),
                                     &working_set,
-                                    flattened.clone(),
+                                    &flattened,
                                     flat_idx,
-                                    flat_shape.clone(),
+                                    flat_shape,
                                 );
 
                                 return self.process_completion(