diff --git a/Lib/cmd.py b/Lib/cmd.py
index 2e358d6cd5a02d..22f9f15abc83fd 100644
--- a/Lib/cmd.py
+++ b/Lib/cmd.py
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ def complete(self, text, state):
             endidx = readline.get_endidx() - stripped
             if begidx>0:
                 cmd, args, foo = self.parseline(line)
-                if cmd == '':
+                if not cmd:
                     compfunc = self.completedefault
                 else:
                     try:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_cmd.py b/Lib/test/test_cmd.py
index 46ec82b704963d..6789b2fcf55b5c 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_cmd.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_cmd.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import io
 import textwrap
 from test import support
+from unittest.mock import patch
 from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 from test.support.pty_helper import run_pty
 
@@ -246,6 +247,22 @@ def test_input_reset_at_EOF(self):
              "(Cmd) \n"
              "(Cmd) *** Unknown syntax: EOF\n"))
 
+    def test_complete_with_None_from_parseline(self, *args):
+        readline = import_module('readline')
+
+        with (patch('readline.get_line_buffer', return_value='foo'),
+              patch('readline.get_begidx', return_value=2),
+              patch('readline.get_endidx', return_value=2)):
+            class CustomCmd(cmd.Cmd):
+                def parseline(self, line):
+                    return None, None, line
+
+                def completedefault(self, *args):
+                    return ['via_completedefault']
+
+            c = CustomCmd()
+            self.assertEqual(c.complete("", 0), "via_completedefault")
+
 
 class CmdPrintExceptionClass(cmd.Cmd):
     """
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-01-11-12-20-48.bpo-35270.Vtm5iW.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-01-11-12-20-48.bpo-35270.Vtm5iW.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..9a4945e37c71bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-01-11-12-20-48.bpo-35270.Vtm5iW.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Cmd.complete: use ``completedefault`` also with ``cmd=None`` returned from ``parseline``. Patch contributed by Daniel Hahler.