diff --git a/python/qemu/qmp/qmp_shell.py b/python/qemu/qmp/qmp_shell.py
index 619ab42ced..988d79c01b 100644
--- a/python/qemu/qmp/qmp_shell.py
+++ b/python/qemu/qmp/qmp_shell.py
@@ -91,14 +91,21 @@ from subprocess import Popen
 import sys
 from typing import (
     IO,
+    Dict,
     Iterator,
     List,
     NoReturn,
     Optional,
     Sequence,
+    cast,
 )
 
-from qemu.qmp import ConnectError, QMPError, SocketAddrT
+from qemu.qmp import (
+    ConnectError,
+    ExecuteError,
+    QMPError,
+    SocketAddrT,
+)
 from qemu.qmp.legacy import (
     QEMUMonitorProtocol,
     QMPBadPortError,
@@ -194,11 +201,12 @@ class QMPShell(QEMUMonitorProtocol):
         super().close()
 
     def _fill_completion(self) -> None:
-        cmds = self.cmd('query-commands')
-        if 'error' in cmds:
-            return
-        for cmd in cmds['return']:
-            self._completer.append(cmd['name'])
+        try:
+            cmds = cast(List[Dict[str, str]], self.command('query-commands'))
+            for cmd in cmds:
+                self._completer.append(cmd['name'])
+        except ExecuteError:
+            pass
 
     def _completer_setup(self) -> None:
         self._completer = QMPCompleter()