diff --git a/src/nvim/eval.c b/src/nvim/eval.c
index 6bd2b23c73..93590445c9 100644
--- a/src/nvim/eval.c
+++ b/src/nvim/eval.c
@@ -503,6 +503,7 @@ void eval_init(void)
       /* add to compat scope dict */
       hash_add(&compat_hashtab, p->vv_di.di_key);
   }
+  set_vim_var_dict(VV_COMPLETED_ITEM, dict_alloc());
   set_vim_var_nr(VV_SEARCHFORWARD, 1L);
   set_vim_var_nr(VV_HLSEARCH, 1L);
   set_reg_var(0);    /* default for v:register is not 0 but '"' */
diff --git a/test/functional/viml/completion_spec.lua b/test/functional/viml/completion_spec.lua
index 7fd36c64fa..5e3d4a6658 100644
--- a/test/functional/viml/completion_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/viml/completion_spec.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ describe('completion', function()
   end)
 
   describe('v:completed_item', function()
+    it('is empty dict until completion', function()
+      eq({}, eval('v:completed_item'))
+    end)
+    it('is empty dict if the candidate is not inserted', function()
+      feed('ifoo<ESC>o<C-x><C-n><C-e><ESC>')
+      eq({}, eval('v:completed_item'))
+    end)
     it('returns expected dict in normal completion', function()
       feed('ifoo<ESC>o<C-x><C-n><ESC>')
       eq('foo', eval('getline(2)'))