diff --git a/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.bash b/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.bash
index 5b604ba9..a5faf992 100644
--- a/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.bash
+++ b/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.bash
@@ -7,14 +7,33 @@ _dbc() {
     local subcommands="install uninstall list init add sync search info docs remove completion auth"
     local global_opts="--help -h --version --quiet -q"
 
-    # If we're completing the first argument (subcommand)
-    if [[ $cword -eq 1 ]]; then
+    # Skip leading global options to find the subcommand.
+    local i=1
+    while [[ $i -lt $COMP_CWORD ]]; do
+        case "${COMP_WORDS[i]}" in
+            -*)
+                ((i += 1))
+                ;;
+            *)
+                break
+                ;;
+        esac
+    done
+
+    # If we're completing the subcommand itself
+    if [[ $i -ge $COMP_CWORD ]]; then
         COMPREPLY=($(compgen -W "$subcommands $global_opts" -- "$cur"))
         return 0
     fi
 
-    # Get the subcommand (first argument)
-    local subcommand="${words[1]}"
+    local subcommand="${COMP_WORDS[i]}"
+
+    # The per-subcommand completers index COMP_WORDS positionally (subcommand
+    # at 1), so hand them a view with the global options removed.
+    local -a sub_words=("${COMP_WORDS[0]}" "${COMP_WORDS[@]:i}")
+    local sub_cword=$((COMP_CWORD - i + 1))
+    local -a COMP_WORDS=("${sub_words[@]}")
+    local COMP_CWORD=$sub_cword
 
     case "$subcommand" in
         install)
diff --git a/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.fish b/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.fish
index 622d6f96..ef355dd0 100644
--- a/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.fish
+++ b/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.fish
@@ -1,8 +1,27 @@
 # fish completion for dbc            -*- shell-script -*-
 
+# Tokens before the cursor with leading global options removed, so the
+# subcommand is always at index 2.
+function __fish_dbc_tokens
+    set -l tokens (commandline -opc)
+    printf '%s\n' $tokens[1]
+    set -l i 2
+    while test $i -le (count $tokens)
+        switch $tokens[$i]
+            case '-*'
+                set i (math $i + 1)
+            case '*'
+                break
+        end
+    end
+    if test $i -le (count $tokens)
+        printf '%s\n' $tokens[$i..-1]
+    end
+end
+
 # Helper function to check if a subcommand has been given
 function __fish_dbc_needs_command
-    set -l cmd (commandline -opc)
+    set -l cmd (__fish_dbc_tokens)
     set -e cmd[1]
     if test (count $cmd) -eq 0
         return 0
@@ -12,7 +31,7 @@ end
 
 # Helper function to check if we're using a specific subcommand
 function __fish_dbc_using_subcommand
-    set -l cmd (commandline -opc)
+    set -l cmd (__fish_dbc_tokens)
     if test (count $cmd) -gt 1
         if test $argv[1] = $cmd[2]
             return 0
@@ -111,7 +130,7 @@ complete -f -c dbc -n '__fish_dbc_using_subcommand completion' -a 'fish' -d 'Gen
 
 # Helper function to check if we're using auth subcommand and need a nested subcommand
 function __fish_dbc_auth_needs_subcommand
-    set -l cmd (commandline -opc)
+    set -l cmd (__fish_dbc_tokens)
     if test (count $cmd) -eq 2
         if test $cmd[2] = "auth"
             return 0
@@ -122,7 +141,7 @@ end
 
 # Helper function to check if we're using a specific auth subcommand
 function __fish_dbc_auth_using_subcommand
-    set -l cmd (commandline -opc)
+    set -l cmd (__fish_dbc_tokens)
     if test (count $cmd) -gt 2
         if test $cmd[2] = "auth" -a $argv[1] = $cmd[3]
             return 0
@@ -150,7 +169,7 @@ complete -f -c dbc -n '__fish_dbc_auth_using_subcommand logout' -l purge -d 'Rem
 
 # Helper function to check if we need a license subcommand
 function __fish_dbc_auth_license_needs_subcommand
-    set -l cmd (commandline -opc)
+    set -l cmd (__fish_dbc_tokens)
     if test (count $cmd) -eq 3
         if test $cmd[2] = "auth" -a $cmd[3] = "license"
             return 0
@@ -161,7 +180,7 @@ end
 
 # Helper function to check if we're using a specific auth license subcommand
 function __fish_dbc_auth_license_using_subcommand
-    set -l cmd (commandline -opc)
+    set -l cmd (__fish_dbc_tokens)
     if test (count $cmd) -gt 3
         if test $cmd[2] = "auth" -a $cmd[3] = "license" -a $argv[1] = $cmd[4]
             return 0
diff --git a/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.zsh b/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.zsh
index c6db9d2c..34d493dd 100644
--- a/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.zsh
+++ b/cmd/dbc/completions/dbc.zsh
@@ -6,7 +6,13 @@ compdef _dbc dbc
 function _dbc {
     local line state
 
+    # Global options are declared as _arguments specs (not listed as values
+    # below) so _arguments offers them and skips them when locating the
+    # subcommand.
     _arguments -C \
+        '(-h --help)'{-h,--help}'[Show help]' \
+        '--version[Show version]' \
+        '(-q --quiet)'{-q,--quiet}'[Suppress all output]' \
         "1: :->subcommand" \
         "*::arg:->args"
 
@@ -24,12 +30,7 @@ function _dbc {
                 'docs[Open driver documentation in a web browser]' \
                 'remove[Remove a driver from the driver list]' \
                 'completion[Generate shell completions]' \
-                'auth[Authenticate with a driver registry]' \
-                '--help[Show help]' \
-                '-h[Show help]' \
-                '--version[Show version]' \
-                '--quiet[Suppress all output]' \
-                '-q[Suppress all output]'
+                'auth[Authenticate with a driver registry]'
         ;;
         args)
             case $line[1] in