diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish b/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish
index 72bd3601f..a200b6cd8 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish
@@ -19,10 +19,16 @@ if test (uname) = Darwin
     end
 end
 
+# Perform this check once at startup rather than on each invocation
+if not type -q apropos
+    function __fish_describe_command
+    end
+    exit
+end
+
 function __fish_describe_command -d "Command used to find descriptions for commands"
     # $argv will be inserted directly into the awk regex, so it must be escaped
     set -l argv_regex (string escape --style=regex "$argv")
-    type -q apropos; or return
     apropos $argv 2>/dev/null | awk -v FS=" +- +" '{
 		split($1, names, ", ");
 		for (name in names)