diff --git a/lib/bash/cli/lib_cli.sh b/lib/bash/cli/lib_cli.sh
index 40ef9d0..917ed75 100644
--- a/lib/bash/cli/lib_cli.sh
+++ b/lib/bash/cli/lib_cli.sh
@@ -1573,8 +1573,18 @@ base_cli_completion_script() {
     fi
     program="${__base_bash_libs_cli_models["$model|meta|name"]}"
     printf '%s\n' "$function_name() {"
-    printf '%s\n' '    local current="${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD]-}"'
-    printf '%s\n' '    local -a cli_words=( "${COMP_WORDS[@]:1}" )'
+    printf '%s\n' '    local cursor="${COMP_CWORD:-0}" word_count candidate'
+    printf '%s\n' '    local -a completion_words=( "${COMP_WORDS[@]+${COMP_WORDS[@]}}" ) cli_words=()'
+    printf '%s\n' '    if [[ "$cursor" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then cursor=$((10#$cursor)); else cursor=0; fi'
+    printf '%s\n' '    word_count="${#completion_words[@]}"'
+    printf '%s\n' '    if ((cursor > 0)); then'
+    printf '%s\n' '        if ((cursor < word_count)); then'
+    printf '%s\n' '            cli_words=( "${completion_words[@]:1:cursor}" )'
+    printf '%s\n' '        else'
+    printf '%s\n' '            cli_words=( "${completion_words[@]:1}" )'
+    printf '%s\n' '            cli_words+=("")'
+    printf '%s\n' '        fi'
+    printf '%s\n' '    fi'
     printf '%s\n' '    COMPREPLY=()'
     printf '    while IFS= read -r candidate; do COMPREPLY+=("$candidate"); done < <(base_cli_complete %q -- "${cli_words[@]}")\n' "$model"
     printf '%s\n' '}'
diff --git a/lib/bash/cli/tests/lib_cli.bats b/lib/bash/cli/tests/lib_cli.bats
index ed4c939..71637ad 100644
--- a/lib/bash/cli/tests/lib_cli.bats
+++ b/lib/bash/cli/tests/lib_cli.bats
@@ -602,6 +602,56 @@ EOF
     [[ "$output" == *"complete -F _demo_complete demo"* ]]
 }
 
+@test "generated completion honors the cursor and keeps scratch variables local" {
+    local completion_script="$TEST_TMPDIR/completion.bash"
+    local candidate=caller-owned
+
+    base_cli_model_init cursor name=cursor
+    base_cli_command cursor admin "Administration"
+    base_cli_command cursor admin/user "User"
+    base_cli_option cursor '' channel value --channel enum=alpha,beta
+    base_cli_option cursor '' output value --output
+    base_cli_option cursor admin/user color value --color
+    base_cli_completion_script cursor _cursor_complete > "$completion_script"
+    source "$completion_script"
+
+    COMP_WORDS=(cursor --ch stable --output result)
+    COMP_CWORD=1
+    _cursor_complete
+    [ "${COMPREPLY[*]}" = --channel ]
+    [ "$candidate" = caller-owned ]
+
+    COMP_WORDS=(cursor --channel a --output result)
+    COMP_CWORD=2
+    _cursor_complete
+    [ "${#COMPREPLY[@]}" -eq 0 ]
+
+    COMP_WORDS=(cursor admin --out --channel alpha)
+    COMP_CWORD=2
+    _cursor_complete
+    [ "${COMPREPLY[*]}" = --output ]
+
+    COMP_WORDS=(cursor admin user --co)
+    COMP_CWORD=3
+    _cursor_complete
+    [ "${COMPREPLY[*]}" = --color ]
+
+    COMP_WORDS=(cursor -- --channel)
+    COMP_CWORD=2
+    _cursor_complete
+    [ "${#COMPREPLY[@]}" -eq 0 ]
+
+    COMP_WORDS=(cursor admin)
+    COMP_CWORD=2
+    _cursor_complete
+    [ "${COMPREPLY[*]}" = user ]
+
+    COMP_WORDS=(cursor)
+    COMP_CWORD=1
+    _cursor_complete
+    [ "${COMPREPLY[*]}" = admin ]
+}
+
 @test "completion consumes option values and honors the double-dash boundary" {
     base_cli_model_init complete name=complete
     base_cli_command complete admin "Administration" aliases=a