diff --git a/rl.go b/rl.go
index 95b1bd0..b431ad7 100644
--- a/rl.go
+++ b/rl.go
@@ -139,9 +139,11 @@ func newLineReader(prompt string, noHist bool) *lineReader {
 			items := []string{}
 			itemDescriptions := make(map[string]string)
 			itemDisplays := make(map[string]string)
+			itemAliases := make(map[string]string)
 
 			util.ForEach(luaCompItems.AsTable(), func(lkey rt.Value, lval rt.Value) {
 				if keytyp := lkey.Type(); keytyp == rt.StringType {
+					// TODO: remove in 3.0
 					// ['--flag'] = {'description', '--flag-alias'}
 					// OR
 					// ['--flag'] = {description = '', alias = '', display = ''}
@@ -156,19 +158,21 @@ func newLineReader(prompt string, noHist bool) *lineReader {
 					itemDescription, ok := vlTbl.Get(rt.IntValue(1)).TryString()
 					if !ok {
 						// if we can't get it by number index, try by string key
-						itemDescription, ok = vlTbl.Get(rt.StringValue("description")).TryString()
-						if !ok {
-							// TODO: error?
-							return
-						}
+						itemDescription, _ = vlTbl.Get(rt.StringValue("description")).TryString()
 					}
 					itemDescriptions[itemName] = itemDescription
 
 					// display
-					// this is optional, so only act when we get it and it's a string
 					if itemDisplay, ok := vlTbl.Get(rt.StringValue("display")).TryString(); ok {
 						itemDisplays[itemName] = itemDisplay
 					}
+
+					itemAlias, ok := vlTbl.Get(rt.IntValue(2)).TryString()
+					if !ok {
+						// if we can't get it by number index, try by string key
+						itemAlias, _ = vlTbl.Get(rt.StringValue("alias")).TryString()
+					}
+					itemAliases[itemName] = itemAlias
 				} else if keytyp == rt.IntType {
 					vlStr, ok := lval.TryString()
 						if !ok {
@@ -192,6 +196,7 @@ func newLineReader(prompt string, noHist bool) *lineReader {
 
 			compGroups = append(compGroups, &readline.CompletionGroup{
 				DisplayType: dispType,
+				Aliases: itemAliases,
 				Descriptions: itemDescriptions,
 				ItemDisplays: itemDisplays,
 				Suggestions: items,