diff --git a/src/complete.cpp b/src/complete.cpp
index 06daaa1b5..132dbb74d 100644
--- a/src/complete.cpp
+++ b/src/complete.cpp
@@ -1505,8 +1505,8 @@ bool completer_t::try_complete_variable(const wcstring &str)
     enum {e_unquoted, e_single_quoted, e_double_quoted} mode = e_unquoted;
     const size_t len = str.size();
 
-    /* Get the position of the dollar heading a run of valid variable characters. -1 means none. */
-    size_t variable_start = -1;
+    /* Get the position of the dollar heading a (possibly empty) run of valid variable characters. npos means none. */
+    size_t variable_start = wcstring::npos;
 
     for (size_t in_pos=0; in_pos<len; in_pos++)
     {
@@ -1554,9 +1554,11 @@ bool completer_t::try_complete_variable(const wcstring &str)
         }
     }
 
-    /* Now complete if we have a variable start that's also not the last character */
+    /* Now complete if we have a variable start. Note the variable text may be empty; in that case don't generate an autosuggestion, but do allow tab completion */
+    bool allow_empty = ! (this->flags & COMPLETION_REQUEST_AUTOSUGGESTION);
+    bool text_is_empty = (variable_start == len);
     bool result = false;
-    if (variable_start != static_cast<size_t>(-1) && variable_start + 1 < len)
+    if (variable_start != wcstring::npos && (allow_empty || ! text_is_empty))
     {
         result = this->complete_variable(str, variable_start + 1);
     }
diff --git a/src/fish_tests.cpp b/src/fish_tests.cpp
index 9be273e60..d6972139b 100644
--- a/src/fish_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/fish_tests.cpp
@@ -2106,7 +2106,19 @@ static void test_complete(void)
     const env_vars_snapshot_t &vars = env_vars_snapshot_t::current();
 
     std::vector<completion_t> completions;
+    complete(L"$", &completions, COMPLETION_REQUEST_DEFAULT, vars);
+    completions_sort_and_prioritize(&completions);
+    do_test(completions.size() == 6);
+    do_test(completions.at(0).completion == L"Bar1");
+    do_test(completions.at(1).completion == L"Bar2");
+    do_test(completions.at(2).completion == L"Bar3");
+    do_test(completions.at(3).completion == L"Foo1");
+    do_test(completions.at(4).completion == L"Foo2");
+    do_test(completions.at(5).completion == L"Foo3");
+
+    completions.clear();
     complete(L"$F", &completions, COMPLETION_REQUEST_DEFAULT, vars);
+    completions_sort_and_prioritize(&completions);
     do_test(completions.size() == 3);
     do_test(completions.at(0).completion == L"oo1");
     do_test(completions.at(1).completion == L"oo2");
@@ -2114,13 +2126,15 @@ static void test_complete(void)
 
     completions.clear();
     complete(L"$1", &completions, COMPLETION_REQUEST_DEFAULT, vars);
+    completions_sort_and_prioritize(&completions);
     do_test(completions.empty());
 
     completions.clear();
     complete(L"$1", &completions, COMPLETION_REQUEST_DEFAULT | COMPLETION_REQUEST_FUZZY_MATCH, vars);
+    completions_sort_and_prioritize(&completions);
     do_test(completions.size() == 2);
-    do_test(completions.at(0).completion == L"$Foo1");
-    do_test(completions.at(1).completion == L"$Bar1");
+    do_test(completions.at(0).completion == L"$Bar1");
+    do_test(completions.at(1).completion == L"$Foo1");
 
     if (system("mkdir -p '/tmp/complete_test/'")) err(L"mkdir failed");
     if (system("touch '/tmp/complete_test/testfile'")) err(L"touch failed");