diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish b/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish
index 1bd604ff4..40424eff4 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_describe_command.fish
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ end
 
 function __fish_describe_command -d "Command used to find descriptions for commands"
     # $argv will be inserted directly into the awk regex, so it must be escaped
-    set -l argv_regex (string escape --style=regex "$argv")
+    set -l argv_regex (string escape --style=regex -- "$argv")
     __fish_apropos $argv 2>/dev/null | awk -v FS=" +- +" '{
 		split($1, names, ", ");
 		for (name in names)