diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index adadc267ab..f705c651f8 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ if HWLOC_BUILD_STANDALONE
 if BUILD_NETLOC
 SUBDIRS += netloc
 endif
-SUBDIRS += utils tests contrib/systemd contrib/misc contrib/hwloc-ps.www
+SUBDIRS += utils tests contrib/systemd contrib/completion contrib/misc contrib/hwloc-ps.www
 # We need doc/ if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN, or during make install if HWLOC_INSTALL_DOXYGEN.
 # There's no INSTALL_SUBDIRS, so always enter doc/ and check HWLOC_BUILD/INSTALL_DOXYGEN there
 SUBDIRS += doc
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ endif HWLOC_BUILD_STANDALONE
 # Only install the valgrind suppressions file if we're building in
 # standalone mode
 if HWLOC_BUILD_STANDALONE
-bashcompdir = $(sysconfdir)/bash_completion.d
-dist_bashcomp_DATA = contrib/completion/hwloc-completion.bash
 dist_pkgdata_DATA = contrib/hwloc-valgrind.supp
 endif
 
diff --git a/config/hwloc_internal.m4 b/config/hwloc_internal.m4
index 108453bf37..d9e52b2044 100644
--- a/config/hwloc_internal.m4
+++ b/config/hwloc_internal.m4
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ int foo(void) {
         hwloc_config_prefix[utils/netloc/infiniband/netloc_ib_gather_raw]
         hwloc_config_prefix[contrib/hwloc-ps.www/Makefile]
         hwloc_config_prefix[contrib/systemd/Makefile]
+        hwloc_config_prefix[contrib/completion/Makefile]
         hwloc_config_prefix[contrib/misc/Makefile]
         hwloc_config_prefix[contrib/windows/Makefile]
         hwloc_config_prefix[contrib/windows/test-windows-version.sh]
diff --git a/contrib/completion/Makefile.am b/contrib/completion/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63a5a902b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/completion/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Copyright © 2009-2020 Inria.  All rights reserved.
+#
+# See COPYING in top-level directory.
+
+# This makefile is only reached when building in standalone mode
+
+bashcompdir = $(sysconfdir)/bash_completion.d
+dist_bashcomp_DATA = hwloc-completion.bash