diff --git a/bash_completionsV2.go b/bash_completionsV2.go
index 78f43b91..5a38e38d 100644
--- a/bash_completionsV2.go
+++ b/bash_completionsV2.go
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ __%[1]s_process_completion_results() {
     local shellCompDirectiveNoFileComp=%[5]d
     local shellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt=%[6]d
     local shellCompDirectiveFilterDirs=%[7]d
+    local shellCompDirectiveKeepOrder=%[8]d
 
     if (((directive & shellCompDirectiveError) != 0)); then
         # Error code.  No completion.
@@ -115,6 +116,19 @@ __%[1]s_process_completion_results() {
                 __%[1]s_debug "No space directive not supported in this version of bash"
             fi
         fi
+        if (((directive & shellCompDirectiveKeepOrder) != 0)); then
+            if [[ $(type -t compopt) == builtin ]]; then
+                # no sort isn't supported for bash less than < 4.4
+                if [[ ${BASH_VERSINFO[0]} -lt 4 || ( ${BASH_VERSINFO[0]} -eq 4 && ${BASH_VERSINFO[1]} -lt 4 ) ]]; then
+                    __%[1]s_debug "No sort directive not supported in this version of bash"
+                else
+                    __%[1]s_debug "Activating keep order"
+                    compopt -o nosort
+                fi
+            else
+                __%[1]s_debug "No sort directive not supported in this version of bash"
+            fi
+        fi
         if (((directive & shellCompDirectiveNoFileComp) != 0)); then
             if [[ $(type -t compopt) == builtin ]]; then
                 __%[1]s_debug "Activating no file completion"
@@ -183,7 +197,7 @@ __%[1]s_process_completion_results() {
 # Separate activeHelp lines from real completions.
 # Fills the $activeHelp and $completions arrays.
 __%[1]s_extract_activeHelp() {
-    local activeHelpMarker="%[8]s"
+    local activeHelpMarker="%[9]s"
     local endIndex=${#activeHelpMarker}
 
     while IFS='' read -r comp; do
@@ -360,7 +374,7 @@ fi
 # ex: ts=4 sw=4 et filetype=sh
 `, name, compCmd,
 		ShellCompDirectiveError, ShellCompDirectiveNoSpace, ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp,
-		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs,
+		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs, ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder,
 		activeHelpMarker))
 }
 
diff --git a/completions.go b/completions.go
index 8341959a..c7b457eb 100644
--- a/completions.go
+++ b/completions.go
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ const (
 	// obtain the same behavior but only for flags.
 	ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs
 
+	// ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder indicates that the shell should preserve the order
+	// in which the completions are provided
+	ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder
+
 	// ===========================================================================
 
 	// All directives using iota should be above this one.
@@ -159,6 +163,9 @@ func (d ShellCompDirective) string() string {
 	if d&ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs != 0 {
 		directives = append(directives, "ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs")
 	}
+	if d&ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder != 0 {
+		directives = append(directives, "ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder")
+	}
 	if len(directives) == 0 {
 		directives = append(directives, "ShellCompDirectiveDefault")
 	}
diff --git a/fish_completions.go b/fish_completions.go
index 97112a17..32c4bea0 100644
--- a/fish_completions.go
+++ b/fish_completions.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ function __%[1]s_perform_completion
     __%[1]s_debug "last arg: $lastArg"
 
     # Disable ActiveHelp which is not supported for fish shell
-    set -l requestComp "%[9]s=0 $args[1] %[3]s $args[2..-1] $lastArg"
+    set -l requestComp "%[10]s=0 $args[1] %[3]s $args[2..-1] $lastArg"
 
     __%[1]s_debug "Calling $requestComp"
     set -l results (eval $requestComp 2> /dev/null)
@@ -89,6 +89,60 @@ function __%[1]s_perform_completion
     printf "%%s\n" "$directiveLine"
 end
 
+# this function limits calls to __%[1]s_perform_completion, by caching the result behind $__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result
+function __%[1]s_perform_completion_once
+    __%[1]s_debug "Starting __%[1]s_perform_completion_once"
+
+    if test -n "$__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result"
+        __%[1]s_debug "Seems like a valid result already exists, skipping __%[1]s_perform_completion"
+        return 0
+    end
+
+    set --global __%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result (__%[1]s_perform_completion)
+    if test -z "$__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result"
+        __%[1]s_debug "No completions, probably due to a failure"
+        return 1
+    end
+
+    __%[1]s_debug "Performed completions and set __%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result"
+    return 0
+end
+
+# this function is used to clear the $__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result variable after completions are run
+function __%[1]s_clear_perform_completion_once_result
+    __%[1]s_debug ""
+    __%[1]s_debug "========= clearing previously set __%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result variable =========="
+    set --erase __%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result
+    __%[1]s_debug "Succesfully erased the variable __%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result"
+end
+
+function __%[1]s_requires_order_preservation
+    __%[1]s_debug ""
+    __%[1]s_debug "========= checking if order preservation is required =========="
+
+    __%[1]s_perform_completion_once
+    if test -z "$__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result"
+        __%[1]s_debug "Error determining if order preservation is required"
+        return 1
+    end
+
+    set -l directive (string sub --start 2 $__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result[-1])
+    __%[1]s_debug "Directive is: $directive"
+
+    set -l shellCompDirectiveKeepOrder %[9]d
+    set -l keeporder (math (math --scale 0 $directive / $shellCompDirectiveKeepOrder) %% 2)
+    __%[1]s_debug "Keeporder is: $keeporder"
+
+    if test $keeporder -ne 0
+        __%[1]s_debug "This does require order preservation"
+        return 0
+    end
+
+    __%[1]s_debug "This doesn't require order preservation"
+    return 1
+end
+
+
 # This function does two things:
 # - Obtain the completions and store them in the global __%[1]s_comp_results
 # - Return false if file completion should be performed
@@ -99,17 +153,17 @@ function __%[1]s_prepare_completions
     # Start fresh
     set --erase __%[1]s_comp_results
 
-    set -l results (__%[1]s_perform_completion)
-    __%[1]s_debug "Completion results: $results"
+    __%[1]s_perform_completion_once
+    __%[1]s_debug "Completion results: $__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result"
 
-    if test -z "$results"
+    if test -z "$__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result"
         __%[1]s_debug "No completion, probably due to a failure"
         # Might as well do file completion, in case it helps
         return 1
     end
 
-    set -l directive (string sub --start 2 $results[-1])
-    set --global __%[1]s_comp_results $results[1..-2]
+    set -l directive (string sub --start 2 $__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result[-1])
+    set --global __%[1]s_comp_results $__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result[1..-2]
 
     __%[1]s_debug "Completions are: $__%[1]s_comp_results"
     __%[1]s_debug "Directive is: $directive"
@@ -205,13 +259,17 @@ end
 # Remove any pre-existing completions for the program since we will be handling all of them.
 complete -c %[2]s -e
 
+# this will get called after the two calls below and clear the $__%[1]s_perform_completion_once_result global
+complete -c %[2]s -n '__%[1]s_clear_perform_completion_once_result'
 # The call to __%[1]s_prepare_completions will setup __%[1]s_comp_results
 # which provides the program's completion choices.
-complete -c %[2]s -n '__%[1]s_prepare_completions' -f -a '$__%[1]s_comp_results'
-
+# If this doesn't require order preservation, we don't use the -k flag
+complete -c %[2]s -n 'not __%[1]s_requires_order_preservation && __%[1]s_prepare_completions' -f -a '$__%[1]s_comp_results'
+# otherwise we use the -k flag
+complete -k -c %[2]s -n '__%[1]s_requires_order_preservation && __%[1]s_prepare_completions' -f -a '$__%[1]s_comp_results'
 `, nameForVar, name, compCmd,
 		ShellCompDirectiveError, ShellCompDirectiveNoSpace, ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp,
-		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs, activeHelpEnvVar(name)))
+		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs, ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder, activeHelpEnvVar(name)))
 }
 
 // GenFishCompletion generates fish completion file and writes to the passed writer.
diff --git a/powershell_completions.go b/powershell_completions.go
index c9d47e61..c766fc78 100644
--- a/powershell_completions.go
+++ b/powershell_completions.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ filter __%[1]s_escapeStringWithSpecialChars {
     $ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp=%[6]d
     $ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt=%[7]d
     $ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs=%[8]d
+    $ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder=%[9]d
 
     # Prepare the command to request completions for the program.
     # Split the command at the first space to separate the program and arguments.
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ filter __%[1]s_escapeStringWithSpecialChars {
 
     __%[1]s_debug "Calling $RequestComp"
     # First disable ActiveHelp which is not supported for Powershell
-    $env:%[9]s=0
+    $env:%[10]s=0
 
     #call the command store the output in $out and redirect stderr and stdout to null
     # $Out is an array contains each line per element
@@ -182,6 +183,11 @@ filter __%[1]s_escapeStringWithSpecialChars {
         }
     }
 
+    # we sort the values in ascending order by name if keep order isn't passed
+    if (($Directive -band $ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder) -eq 0 ) {
+        $Values = $Values | Sort-Object -Property Name
+    }
+
     if (($Directive -band $ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp) -ne 0 ) {
         __%[1]s_debug "ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp is called"
 
@@ -267,7 +273,7 @@ filter __%[1]s_escapeStringWithSpecialChars {
 Register-ArgumentCompleter -CommandName '%[1]s' -ScriptBlock $__%[2]sCompleterBlock
 `, name, nameForVar, compCmd,
 		ShellCompDirectiveError, ShellCompDirectiveNoSpace, ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp,
-		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs, activeHelpEnvVar(name)))
+		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs, ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder, activeHelpEnvVar(name)))
 }
 
 func (c *Command) genPowerShellCompletion(w io.Writer, includeDesc bool) error {
diff --git a/shell_completions.md b/shell_completions.md
index 6c48f3e4..065c0621 100644
--- a/shell_completions.md
+++ b/shell_completions.md
@@ -228,6 +228,10 @@ ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt
 //    return []string{"themes"}, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs
 //
 ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs
+
+// ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder indicates that the shell should preserve the order
+// in which the completions are provided
+ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder
 ```
 
 ***Note***: When using the `ValidArgsFunction`, Cobra will call your registered function after having parsed all flags and arguments provided in the command-line.  You therefore don't need to do this parsing yourself.  For example, when a user calls `helm status --namespace my-rook-ns [tab][tab]`, Cobra will call your registered `ValidArgsFunction` after having parsed the `--namespace` flag, as it would have done when calling the `RunE` function.
diff --git a/zsh_completions.go b/zsh_completions.go
index 84cec76f..29bcb570 100644
--- a/zsh_completions.go
+++ b/zsh_completions.go
@@ -108,8 +108,9 @@ _%[1]s()
     local shellCompDirectiveNoFileComp=%[5]d
     local shellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt=%[6]d
     local shellCompDirectiveFilterDirs=%[7]d
+    local shellCompDirectiveKeepOrder=%[8]d
 
-    local lastParam lastChar flagPrefix requestComp out directive comp lastComp noSpace
+    local lastParam lastChar flagPrefix requestComp out directive comp lastComp noSpace keepOrder
     local -a completions
 
     __%[1]s_debug "\n========= starting completion logic =========="
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ _%[1]s()
         return
     fi
 
-    local activeHelpMarker="%[8]s"
+    local activeHelpMarker="%[9]s"
     local endIndex=${#activeHelpMarker}
     local startIndex=$((${#activeHelpMarker}+1))
     local hasActiveHelp=0
@@ -227,6 +228,11 @@ _%[1]s()
         noSpace="-S ''"
     fi
 
+    if [ $((directive & shellCompDirectiveKeepOrder)) -ne 0 ]; then
+        __%[1]s_debug "Activating keep order."
+        keepOrder="-V"
+    fi
+
     if [ $((directive & shellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt)) -ne 0 ]; then
         # File extension filtering
         local filteringCmd
@@ -262,7 +268,7 @@ _%[1]s()
         return $result
     else
         __%[1]s_debug "Calling _describe"
-        if eval _describe "completions" completions $flagPrefix $noSpace; then
+        if eval _describe $keepOrder "completions" completions $flagPrefix $noSpace; then
             __%[1]s_debug "_describe found some completions"
 
             # Return the success of having called _describe
@@ -296,6 +302,6 @@ if [ "$funcstack[1]" = "_%[1]s" ]; then
 fi
 `, name, compCmd,
 		ShellCompDirectiveError, ShellCompDirectiveNoSpace, ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp,
-		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs,
+		ShellCompDirectiveFilterFileExt, ShellCompDirectiveFilterDirs, ShellCompDirectiveKeepOrder,
 		activeHelpMarker))
 }