diff --git a/pmd-cli/pom.xml b/pmd-cli/pom.xml
index 2a9b53f3c1..0773366c89 100644
--- a/pmd-cli/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-cli/pom.xml
@@ -47,6 +47,28 @@
                 </arguments>
               </configuration>
             </plugin>
+
+            <plugin>
+                <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+                <artifactId>build-helper-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <executions>
+                    <execution>
+                        <id>add-completion-artifact</id>
+                        <goals>
+                            <goal>attach-artifact</goal>
+                        </goals>
+                        <configuration>
+                            <artifacts>
+                                <artifact>
+                                    <file>${project.build.directory}/pmd_completion.sh</file>
+                                    <type>sh</type>
+                                    <classifier>completion</classifier>
+                                </artifact>
+                            </artifacts>
+                        </configuration>
+                    </execution>
+                </executions>
+            </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </build>
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/pmd-dist/pom.xml b/pmd-dist/pom.xml
index 5d482c5a87..8bd93b1d3d 100644
--- a/pmd-dist/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-dist/pom.xml
@@ -134,6 +134,14 @@
             <artifactId>pmd-cli</artifactId>
             <version>${project.version}</version>
         </dependency>
+        <!-- include bash/zsh completions -->
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
+            <artifactId>pmd-cli</artifactId>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
+            <type>sh</type>
+            <classifier>completion</classifier>
+        </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
             <artifactId>pmd-core</artifactId>
diff --git a/pmd-dist/src/main/resources/assemblies/pmd-bin.xml b/pmd-dist/src/main/resources/assemblies/pmd-bin.xml
index acd37c2cfe..c783dc530f 100644
--- a/pmd-dist/src/main/resources/assemblies/pmd-bin.xml
+++ b/pmd-dist/src/main/resources/assemblies/pmd-bin.xml
@@ -54,8 +54,25 @@
     </fileSets>
 
     <dependencySets>
+        <!-- shell completion goes to shell/ -->
         <dependencySet>
             <scope>runtime</scope>
+            <includes>
+                <include>net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-cli:sh:completion:*</include>
+            </includes>
+            <outputFileNameMapping>pmd-completion.sh</outputFileNameMapping>
+            <outputDirectory>shell</outputDirectory>
+            <directoryMode>0755</directoryMode>
+            <fileMode>0644</fileMode>
+            <useProjectArtifact>false</useProjectArtifact>
+        </dependencySet>
+
+        <!-- jar dependencies go to lib/ -->
+        <dependencySet>
+            <scope>runtime</scope>
+            <excludes>
+                <exclude>net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-cli:sh:completion:*</exclude>
+            </excludes>
             <outputDirectory>lib</outputDirectory>
             <directoryMode>0755</directoryMode>
             <fileMode>0644</fileMode>