diff --git a/src/complete.cpp b/src/complete.cpp
index 132dbb74d..be79b7eb9 100644
--- a/src/complete.cpp
+++ b/src/complete.cpp
@@ -986,17 +986,22 @@ void completer_t::complete_from_args(const wcstring &str,
                                      complete_flags_t flags)
 {
     bool is_autosuggest = (this->type() == COMPLETE_AUTOSUGGEST);
-    parser_t parser(is_autosuggest ? PARSER_TYPE_COMPLETIONS_ONLY : PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL, false /* don't show errors */);
+    parser_t parser(false /* don't show errors */);
 
     /* If type is COMPLETE_AUTOSUGGEST, it means we're on a background thread, so don't call proc_push_interactive */
     if (! is_autosuggest)
+    {
         proc_push_interactive(0);
+    }
 
+    expand_flags_t eflags = is_autosuggest ? EXPAND_SKIP_CMDSUBST : 0;
     std::vector<completion_t> possible_comp;
-    parser.expand_argument_list(args, &possible_comp);
+    parser.expand_argument_list(args, eflags, &possible_comp);
 
     if (! is_autosuggest)
+    {
         proc_pop_interactive();
+    }
 
     this->complete_strings(escape_string(str, ESCAPE_ALL), desc.c_str(), 0, possible_comp, flags);
 }
diff --git a/src/fish_tests.cpp b/src/fish_tests.cpp
index d6972139b..871e5622f 100644
--- a/src/fish_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/fish_tests.cpp
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ static void test_parser()
 {
     say(L"Testing parser");
 
-    parser_t parser(PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL, true);
+    parser_t parser(true);
 
     say(L"Testing block nesting");
     if (!parse_util_detect_errors(L"if; end"))
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ static void test_parser()
 
     say(L"Testing eval_args");
     completion_list_t comps;
-    parser_t::principal_parser().expand_argument_list(L"alpha 'beta gamma' delta", &comps);
+    parser_t::principal_parser().expand_argument_list(L"alpha 'beta gamma' delta", 0, &comps);
     do_test(comps.size() == 3);
     do_test(comps.at(0).completion == L"alpha");
     do_test(comps.at(1).completion == L"beta gamma");
@@ -1954,7 +1954,7 @@ static void test_is_potential_path()
 int builtin_test(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv);
 static bool run_one_test_test(int expected, wcstring_list_t &lst, bool bracket)
 {
-    parser_t parser(PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL, true);
+    parser_t parser(true);
     size_t i, count = lst.size();
     wchar_t **argv = new wchar_t *[count+3];
     argv[0] = (wchar_t *)(bracket ? L"[" : L"test");
@@ -1993,7 +1993,7 @@ static bool run_test_test(int expected, const wcstring &str)
 static void test_test_brackets()
 {
     // Ensure [ knows it needs a ]
-    parser_t parser(PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL, true);
+    parser_t parser(true);
     io_streams_t streams;
 
     const wchar_t *argv1[] = {L"[", L"foo", NULL};
@@ -4116,7 +4116,7 @@ static void test_wcstring_tok(void)
 int builtin_string(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv);
 static void run_one_string_test(const wchar_t **argv, int expected_rc, const wchar_t *expected_out)
 {
-    parser_t parser(PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL, true);
+    parser_t parser(true);
     io_streams_t streams;
     streams.stdin_is_directly_redirected = false; // read from argv instead of stdin
     int rc = builtin_string(parser, streams, const_cast<wchar_t**>(argv));
diff --git a/src/parser.cpp b/src/parser.cpp
index 5813bb12b..325b053d2 100644
--- a/src/parser.cpp
+++ b/src/parser.cpp
@@ -162,8 +162,7 @@ static wcstring user_presentable_path(const wcstring &path)
 }
 
 
-parser_t::parser_t(enum parser_type_t type, bool errors) :
-    parser_type(type),
+parser_t::parser_t(bool errors) :
     show_errors(errors),
     cancellation_requested(false),
     is_within_fish_initialization(false)
@@ -177,7 +176,7 @@ parser_t &parser_t::principal_parser(void)
 {
     ASSERT_IS_NOT_FORKED_CHILD();
     ASSERT_IS_MAIN_THREAD();
-    static parser_t parser(PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL, true);
+    static parser_t parser(true);
     if (! s_principal_parser)
     {
         s_principal_parser = &parser;
@@ -467,20 +466,11 @@ void parser_t::emit_profiling(const char *path) const
     }
 }
 
-void parser_t::expand_argument_list(const wcstring &arg_list_src, std::vector<completion_t> *output_arg_list)
+void parser_t::expand_argument_list(const wcstring &arg_list_src, expand_flags_t eflags, std::vector<completion_t> *output_arg_list)
 {
     assert(output_arg_list != NULL);
-    expand_flags_t eflags = 0;
     if (! show_errors)
         eflags |= EXPAND_NO_DESCRIPTIONS;
-    if (this->parser_type != PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL)
-        eflags |= EXPAND_SKIP_CMDSUBST;
-
-    /* Suppress calling proc_push_interactive off of the main thread. */
-    if (this->parser_type == PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL)
-    {
-        proc_push_interactive(0);
-    }
 
     /* Parse the string as an argument list */
     parse_node_tree_t tree;
@@ -509,11 +499,6 @@ void parser_t::expand_argument_list(const wcstring &arg_list_src, std::vector<co
             }
         }
     }
-
-    if (this->parser_type == PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL)
-    {
-        proc_pop_interactive();
-    }
 }
 
 wcstring parser_t::stack_trace() const
diff --git a/src/parser.h b/src/parser.h
index 13fa6d16e..df3df8ee4 100644
--- a/src/parser.h
+++ b/src/parser.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "parse_tree.h"
 #include "io.h"
 #include "parse_constants.h"
+#include "expand.h"
 
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -202,15 +203,6 @@ enum parser_error
     CMDSUBST_ERROR,
 };
 
-enum parser_type_t
-{
-    PARSER_TYPE_NONE,
-    PARSER_TYPE_GENERAL,
-    PARSER_TYPE_FUNCTIONS_ONLY,
-    PARSER_TYPE_COMPLETIONS_ONLY,
-    PARSER_TYPE_ERRORS_ONLY
-};
-
 struct profile_item_t
 {
     /** Time spent executing the specified command, including parse time for nested blocks. */
@@ -236,8 +228,6 @@ class parser_t
 {
     friend class parse_execution_context_t;
 private:
-    enum parser_type_t parser_type;
-
     /** Whether or not we output errors */
     const bool show_errors;
 
@@ -294,7 +284,7 @@ public:
     static void skip_all_blocks();
 
     /** Create a parser of the given type */
-    parser_t(enum parser_type_t type, bool show_errors);
+    parser_t(bool show_errors);
 
     /** Global event blocks */
     event_blockage_list_t global_event_blocks;
@@ -319,9 +309,10 @@ public:
       Errors are ignored.
 
       \param arg_src String to evaluate as an argument list
+      \param flags Some expand flags to use
       \param output List to insert output into
     */
-    void expand_argument_list(const wcstring &arg_src, std::vector<completion_t> *output);
+    void expand_argument_list(const wcstring &arg_src, expand_flags_t flags, std::vector<completion_t> *output);
 
     /**
        Returns a string describing the current parser pisition in the format 'FILENAME (line LINE_NUMBER): LINE'.