diff --git a/spring-shell-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/shell/jline/JLineShellAutoConfiguration.java b/spring-shell-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/shell/jline/JLineShellAutoConfiguration.java
index 3afc5ac5..c7653e11 100644
--- a/spring-shell-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/shell/jline/JLineShellAutoConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-shell-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/shell/jline/JLineShellAutoConfiguration.java
@@ -174,7 +174,9 @@ public class JLineShellAutoConfiguration {
 				})
 				.parser(parser());
 
-		return lineReaderBuilder.build();
+		LineReader lineReader = lineReaderBuilder.build();
+		lineReader.unsetOpt(LineReader.Option.INSERT_TAB); // This allows completion on an empty buffer, rather than inserting a tab
+		return lineReader;
 	}
 
 	/**