diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 8a1506e45..7cc597db1 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -3233,6 +3233,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "itertools",
  "nu-cli",
  "nu-command",
+ "nu-completion",
  "nu-data",
  "nu-engine",
  "nu-errors",
@@ -3318,6 +3319,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "meval",
  "nu-ansi-term",
  "nu-command",
+ "nu-completion",
  "nu-data",
  "nu-engine",
  "nu-errors",
@@ -3476,6 +3478,23 @@ dependencies = [
  "zip",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "nu-completion"
+version = "0.32.1"
+dependencies = [
+ "directories-next",
+ "dirs-next",
+ "indexmap",
+ "nu-data",
+ "nu-engine",
+ "nu-errors",
+ "nu-parser",
+ "nu-protocol",
+ "nu-source",
+ "nu-test-support",
+ "rustyline",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "nu-data"
 version = "0.32.1"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 5dde0ebe4..39dfb3ff4 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ members = ["crates/*/"]
 [dependencies]
 nu-cli = { version = "0.32.1", path = "./crates/nu-cli", default-features = false }
 nu-command = { version = "0.32.1", path = "./crates/nu-command" }
+nu-completion = { version = "0.32.1", path = "./crates/nu-completion" }
 nu-data = { version = "0.32.1", path = "./crates/nu-data" }
 nu-engine = { version = "0.32.1", path = "./crates/nu-engine" }
 nu-errors = { version = "0.32.1", path = "./crates/nu-errors" }
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/Cargo.toml b/crates/nu-cli/Cargo.toml
index 027f50f56..fd8d5ffeb 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ version = "0.32.1"
 doctest = false
 
 [dependencies]
+nu-completion = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-completion" }
 nu-command = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-command" }
 nu-data = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-data" }
 nu-engine = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-engine" }
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/mod.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/mod.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index c66d959f1..000000000
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/mod.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-pub(crate) mod command;
-pub(crate) mod engine;
-pub(crate) mod flag;
-pub(crate) mod matchers;
-pub(crate) mod path;
-
-use matchers::Matcher;
-use nu_engine::EvaluationContext;
-
-#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
-pub struct Suggestion {
-    pub display: String,
-    pub replacement: String,
-}
-
-pub struct CompletionContext<'a>(&'a EvaluationContext);
-
-impl<'a> CompletionContext<'a> {
-    pub fn new(a: &'a EvaluationContext) -> CompletionContext<'a> {
-        CompletionContext(a)
-    }
-}
-
-impl<'a> AsRef<EvaluationContext> for CompletionContext<'a> {
-    fn as_ref(&self) -> &EvaluationContext {
-        self.0
-    }
-}
-
-pub trait Completer {
-    fn complete(
-        &self,
-        ctx: &CompletionContext<'_>,
-        partial: &str,
-        matcher: &dyn Matcher,
-    ) -> Vec<Suggestion>;
-}
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs
index e1acc17d0..e918ef5f4 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/lib.rs
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ extern crate quickcheck_macros;
 
 mod app;
 mod cli;
-#[cfg(feature = "rustyline-support")]
-mod completion;
 mod format;
 #[cfg(feature = "rustyline-support")]
 mod keybinding;
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/shell.rs
index 3c8930606..58cc406de 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/shell.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 #![allow(clippy::module_inception)]
 
-#[cfg(feature = "rustyline-support")]
-pub(crate) mod completer;
 #[cfg(feature = "rustyline-support")]
 pub(crate) mod helper;
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/helper.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/helper.rs
index 5f47bc409..1bdd63300 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/helper.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/helper.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-use crate::completion;
-use crate::shell::completer::NuCompleter;
 use nu_ansi_term::Color;
+use nu_completion::NuCompleter;
 use nu_engine::{DefaultPalette, EvaluationContext, Painter};
 use nu_source::{Tag, Tagged};
 use std::borrow::Cow::{self, Owned};
@@ -28,18 +27,28 @@ impl Helper {
     }
 }
 
-impl rustyline::completion::Candidate for completion::Suggestion {
+struct CompletionContext<'a>(&'a EvaluationContext);
+
+impl<'a> nu_completion::CompletionContext for CompletionContext<'a> {
+    fn signature_registry(&self) -> &dyn nu_parser::ParserScope {
+        &self.0.scope
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct CompletionSuggestion(nu_completion::Suggestion);
+
+impl rustyline::completion::Candidate for CompletionSuggestion {
     fn display(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.display
+        &self.0.display
     }
 
     fn replacement(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.replacement
+        &self.0.replacement
     }
 }
 
 impl rustyline::completion::Completer for Helper {
-    type Candidate = completion::Suggestion;
+    type Candidate = CompletionSuggestion;
 
     fn complete(
         &self,
@@ -47,8 +56,10 @@ impl rustyline::completion::Completer for Helper {
         pos: usize,
         _ctx: &rustyline::Context<'_>,
     ) -> Result<(usize, Vec<Self::Candidate>), rustyline::error::ReadlineError> {
-        let ctx = completion::CompletionContext::new(&self.context);
-        Ok(self.completer.complete(line, pos, &ctx))
+        let ctx = CompletionContext(&self.context);
+        let (position, suggestions) = self.completer.complete(line, pos, &ctx);
+        let suggestions = suggestions.into_iter().map(CompletionSuggestion).collect();
+        Ok((position, suggestions))
     }
 
     fn update(&self, line: &mut rustyline::line_buffer::LineBuffer, start: usize, elected: &str) {
diff --git a/crates/nu-completion/Cargo.toml b/crates/nu-completion/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0de1bbd63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+[package]
+authors = ["The Nu Project Contributors"]
+description = "Completions for nushell"
+edition = "2018"
+license = "MIT"
+name = "nu-completion"
+version = "0.32.1"
+
+[lib]
+doctest = false
+
+[dependencies]
+nu-data = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-data" }
+nu-engine = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-engine" }
+nu-errors = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-errors" }
+nu-parser = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-parser" }
+nu-protocol = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-protocol" }
+nu-source = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-source" }
+nu-test-support = { version = "0.32.1", path = "../nu-test-support" }
+
+directories-next = { version = "2.0.0", optional = true }
+dirs-next = { version = "2.0.0", optional = true }
+indexmap = { version = "1.6.1", features = ["serde-1"] }
+rustyline = { version = "8.1.0", optional = true }
+
+[features]
+rustyline-support = ["rustyline", "nu-engine/rustyline-support"]
+dirs = ["dirs-next"]
+directories = ["directories-next"]
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/command.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/command.rs
similarity index 89%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/completion/command.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/command.rs
index 242508407..da67ad935 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/command.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/command.rs
@@ -1,24 +1,22 @@
+use nu_test_support::NATIVE_PATH_ENV_VAR;
+
 use std::iter::FromIterator;
 use std::path::Path;
 
 use indexmap::set::IndexSet;
 
 use super::matchers::Matcher;
-use crate::completion::{Completer, CompletionContext, Suggestion};
-use nu_engine::EvaluationContext;
-use nu_test_support::NATIVE_PATH_ENV_VAR;
+use crate::{Completer, CompletionContext, Suggestion};
 
 pub struct CommandCompleter;
 
-impl Completer for CommandCompleter {
-    fn complete(
-        &self,
-        ctx: &CompletionContext<'_>,
-        partial: &str,
-        matcher: &dyn Matcher,
-    ) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
-        let context: &EvaluationContext = ctx.as_ref();
-        let mut commands: IndexSet<String> = IndexSet::from_iter(context.scope.get_command_names());
+impl<Context> Completer<Context> for CommandCompleter
+where
+    Context: CompletionContext,
+{
+    fn complete(&self, ctx: &Context, partial: &str, matcher: &dyn Matcher) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
+        let registry = ctx.signature_registry();
+        let mut commands: IndexSet<String> = IndexSet::from_iter(registry.get_names());
 
         // Command suggestions can come from three possible sets:
         //   1. internal command names,
@@ -40,7 +38,7 @@ impl Completer for CommandCompleter {
             .collect();
 
         if !partial.is_empty() {
-            let path_completer = crate::completion::path::PathCompleter;
+            let path_completer = crate::path::PathCompleter;
             let path_results = path_completer.path_suggestions(partial, matcher);
             let iter = path_results.into_iter().filter_map(|path_suggestion| {
                 let path = path_suggestion.path;
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/completer.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/completer.rs
similarity index 86%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/shell/completer.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/completer.rs
index f7f9d338a..90182c557 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/shell/completer.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/completer.rs
@@ -1,35 +1,34 @@
-use crate::completion::command::CommandCompleter;
-use crate::completion::flag::FlagCompleter;
-use crate::completion::matchers;
-use crate::completion::matchers::Matcher;
-use crate::completion::path::{PathCompleter, PathSuggestion};
-use crate::completion::{self, Completer, Suggestion};
-use nu_engine::EvaluationContext;
-use nu_parser::ParserScope;
-use nu_source::{Span, Tag};
-
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 
-pub(crate) struct NuCompleter {}
+use nu_source::{Span, Tag};
+
+use crate::command::CommandCompleter;
+use crate::engine;
+use crate::flag::FlagCompleter;
+use crate::matchers;
+use crate::matchers::Matcher;
+use crate::path::{PathCompleter, PathSuggestion};
+use crate::{Completer, CompletionContext, Suggestion};
+
+pub struct NuCompleter {}
 
 impl NuCompleter {}
 
 impl NuCompleter {
-    pub fn complete(
+    pub fn complete<Context: CompletionContext>(
         &self,
         line: &str,
         pos: usize,
-        context: &completion::CompletionContext,
+        context: &Context,
     ) -> (usize, Vec<Suggestion>) {
-        use completion::engine::LocationType;
+        use engine::LocationType;
 
-        let nu_context: &EvaluationContext = context.as_ref();
+        let tokens = nu_parser::lex(line, 0).0;
 
-        nu_context.scope.enter_scope();
-        let (block, _) = nu_parser::parse(line, 0, &nu_context.scope);
-        nu_context.scope.exit_scope();
-
-        let locations = completion::engine::completion_location(line, &block, pos);
+        let locations = Some(nu_parser::parse_block(tokens).0)
+            .map(|block| nu_parser::classify_block(&block, context.signature_registry()))
+            .map(|(block, _)| engine::completion_location(line, &block, pos))
+            .unwrap_or_default();
 
         let matcher = nu_data::config::config(Tag::unknown())
             .ok()
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ impl NuCompleter {
                     pos = location.span.start();
                 }
             }
-
             let suggestions = locations
                 .into_iter()
                 .flat_map(|location| {
@@ -147,7 +145,16 @@ fn select_directory_suggestions(completed_paths: Vec<PathSuggestion>) -> Vec<Pat
 }
 
 fn requote(orig_value: String, previously_quoted: bool) -> String {
-    let value: Cow<str> = rustyline::completion::unescape(&orig_value, Some('\\'));
+    let value: Cow<str> = {
+        #[cfg(feature = "rustyline-support")]
+        {
+            rustyline::completion::unescape(&orig_value, Some('\\'))
+        }
+        #[cfg(not(feature = "rustyline-support"))]
+        {
+            orig_value.into()
+        }
+    };
 
     let mut quotes = vec!['"', '\''];
     let mut should_quote = false;
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/engine.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/engine.rs
similarity index 99%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/completion/engine.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/engine.rs
index da790d042..69eb72f23 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/engine.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/engine.rs
@@ -301,6 +301,10 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     impl ParserScope for VecRegistry {
+        fn get_names(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+            self.0.iter().cloned().map(|s| s.name).collect()
+        }
+
         fn has_signature(&self, name: &str) -> bool {
             self.0.iter().any(|v| v.name == name)
         }
@@ -331,8 +335,6 @@ mod tests {
     mod completion_location {
         use super::*;
 
-        use nu_parser::ParserScope;
-
         fn completion_location(
             line: &str,
             scope: &dyn ParserScope,
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/flag.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/flag.rs
similarity index 62%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/completion/flag.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/flag.rs
index e4d707ef2..1458b724c 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/flag.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/flag.rs
@@ -1,22 +1,16 @@
 use super::matchers::Matcher;
-use crate::completion::{Completer, CompletionContext, Suggestion};
-use nu_engine::EvaluationContext;
+use crate::{Completer, CompletionContext, Suggestion};
 
 pub struct FlagCompleter {
     pub(crate) cmd: String,
 }
 
-impl Completer for FlagCompleter {
-    fn complete(
-        &self,
-        ctx: &CompletionContext<'_>,
-        partial: &str,
-        matcher: &dyn Matcher,
-    ) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
-        let context: &EvaluationContext = ctx.as_ref();
-
-        if let Some(cmd) = context.scope.get_command(&self.cmd) {
-            let sig = cmd.signature();
+impl<Context> Completer<Context> for FlagCompleter
+where
+    Context: CompletionContext,
+{
+    fn complete(&self, ctx: &Context, partial: &str, matcher: &dyn Matcher) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
+        if let Some(sig) = ctx.signature_registry().get_signature(&self.cmd) {
             let mut suggestions = Vec::new();
             for (name, (named_type, _desc)) in sig.named.iter() {
                 suggestions.push(format!("--{}", name));
diff --git a/crates/nu-completion/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..590c978e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+pub(crate) mod command;
+pub(crate) mod completer;
+pub(crate) mod engine;
+pub(crate) mod flag;
+pub(crate) mod matchers;
+pub(crate) mod path;
+
+use matchers::Matcher;
+
+pub use completer::NuCompleter;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub struct Suggestion {
+    pub display: String,
+    pub replacement: String,
+}
+
+pub trait CompletionContext {
+    fn signature_registry(&self) -> &dyn nu_parser::ParserScope;
+}
+
+pub trait Completer<Context: CompletionContext> {
+    fn complete(&self, ctx: &Context, partial: &str, matcher: &dyn Matcher) -> Vec<Suggestion>;
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/case_insensitive.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/case_insensitive.rs
similarity index 93%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/case_insensitive.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/case_insensitive.rs
index c240bb9f2..e9f3d9551 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/case_insensitive.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/case_insensitive.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-use crate::completion::matchers;
+use crate::matchers;
+
 pub struct Matcher;
 
 impl matchers::Matcher for Matcher {
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ impl matchers::Matcher for Matcher {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
-    // TODO: check some Unicode matches if this becomes relevant
+    // TODO: check some unicode matches if this becomes relevant
 
     // FIXME: could work exhaustively through ['-', '--'. ''] in a loop for each test
     #[test]
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/case_sensitive.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/case_sensitive.rs
similarity index 95%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/case_sensitive.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/case_sensitive.rs
index 552afba0a..6a00aac6d 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/case_sensitive.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/case_sensitive.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::completion::matchers;
+use crate::matchers;
 
 pub struct Matcher;
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/mod.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/mod.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/completion/matchers/mod.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/matchers/mod.rs
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/path.rs b/crates/nu-completion/src/path.rs
similarity index 91%
rename from crates/nu-cli/src/completion/path.rs
rename to crates/nu-completion/src/path.rs
index 0d0866b95..b5247f765 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completion/path.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-completion/src/path.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use super::matchers::Matcher;
-use crate::completion::{Completer, CompletionContext, Suggestion};
+use crate::{Completer, CompletionContext, Suggestion};
 
 const SEP: char = std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR;
 
@@ -74,13 +74,11 @@ impl PathCompleter {
     }
 }
 
-impl Completer for PathCompleter {
-    fn complete(
-        &self,
-        _ctx: &CompletionContext<'_>,
-        partial: &str,
-        matcher: &dyn Matcher,
-    ) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
+impl<Context> Completer<Context> for PathCompleter
+where
+    Context: CompletionContext,
+{
+    fn complete(&self, _ctx: &Context, partial: &str, matcher: &dyn Matcher) -> Vec<Suggestion> {
         self.path_suggestions(partial, matcher)
             .into_iter()
             .map(|ps| ps.suggestion)
diff --git a/crates/nu-engine/src/evaluate/scope.rs b/crates/nu-engine/src/evaluate/scope.rs
index 028de8d14..c4b0d8eef 100644
--- a/crates/nu-engine/src/evaluate/scope.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-engine/src/evaluate/scope.rs
@@ -319,6 +319,10 @@ impl Scope {
 }
 
 impl ParserScope for Scope {
+    fn get_names(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+        self.get_command_names()
+    }
+
     fn get_signature(&self, name: &str) -> Option<nu_protocol::Signature> {
         self.get_command(name).map(|x| x.signature())
     }
diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/scope.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/scope.rs
index a112e163c..cc8a4564a 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/scope.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/scope.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use nu_source::Spanned;
 use std::{fmt::Debug, sync::Arc};
 
 pub trait ParserScope: Debug {
+    fn get_names(&self) -> Vec<String>;
+
     fn get_signature(&self, name: &str) -> Option<nu_protocol::Signature>;
 
     fn has_signature(&self, name: &str) -> bool;