Fixed bug where already sorted choices_provider results were being re-sorted.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
       `subcommand_title` or `subcommand_description` still gives the subcommands a dedicated section
       ([#1715](https://github.com/python-cmd2/cmd2/issues/1715)).
     - Fix `@with_annotated` decorator so using `ArgumentBlock` works with groups
+    - Fixed bug where already sorted `choices_provider` results were being re-sorted.
 
 ## 4.1.2 (July 16, 2026)
 

cmd2/argparse_completer.py

@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ def print_help(self, tokens: Sequence[str], file: IO[str] | None = None) -> None
         self._parser.print_help(file)
 
     def _choices_to_items(self, arg_state: _ArgumentState) -> list[CompletionItem]:
-        """Convert choices from action to list of CompletionItems."""
+        """Convert an action's choices to a list of CompletionItems."""
         if arg_state.action.choices is None:
             return []
 
@@ -785,13 +785,15 @@ def _complete_arg(
                     cmd_set,
                 )
                 all_choices = list(choices_provider(*args, **kwargs))
+                sort = False  # choices_provider results are already sorted, so don't re-sort them
             else:
                 all_choices = self._choices_to_items(arg_state)
+                sort = True
 
             # Filter used values and run basic completion
             used_values = consumed_arg_values.get(arg_state.action.dest, [])
             filtered = [choice for choice in all_choices if choice.text not in used_values]
-            completions = self._cmd_app.basic_complete(text, line, begidx, endidx, filtered)
+            completions = self._cmd_app.basic_complete(text, line, begidx, endidx, filtered, sort=sort)
 
         return self._build_completion_table(arg_state, completions)
 

examples/modular_commandsets.py

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 )
 
 from cmd2 import (
+    Choices,
     Cmd,
     Cmd2ArgumentParser,
     CommandSet,
@@ -31,9 +32,9 @@ def __init__(self, command_sets: Iterable[CommandSet] | None = None) -> None:
         super().__init__(command_sets=command_sets)
         self.sport_item_strs = ["Bat", "Basket", "Basketball", "Football", "Space Ball"]
 
-    def choices_provider(self) -> list[str]:
+    def choices_provider(self) -> Choices:
         """A choices provider is useful when the choice list is based on instance data of your application."""
-        return self.sport_item_strs
+        return Choices.from_values(self.sport_item_strs)
 
     # Parser for example command
     example_parser = Cmd2ArgumentParser(

tests/test_argparse_completer.py

@@ -1433,3 +1433,55 @@ def test_add_parser_custom_completer() -> None:
         name="custom_completer", completer_class=CustomCompleter
     )
     assert custom_completer_parser.completer_class is CustomCompleter
+
+
+def test_completer_preserves_custom_order() -> None:
+    """Test that completer returning Completions with is_sorted=True preserves custom item ordering."""
+    custom_order = ("zebra", "apple", "banana")
+
+    class CustomApp(cmd2.Cmd):
+        def custom_completer(self, text: str, line: str, begidx: int, endidx: int) -> Completions:
+            return Completions.from_values(custom_order, is_sorted=True)
+
+        parser = Cmd2ArgumentParser()
+        parser.add_argument("--custom", completer=custom_completer)
+
+        @with_argparser(parser)
+        def do_test(self, args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
+            pass
+
+    app = CustomApp()
+    text = ""
+    line = f"test --custom {text}"
+    endidx = len(line)
+    begidx = endidx - len(text)
+
+    completions = app.complete(text, line, begidx, endidx)
+
+    assert completions.to_strings() == custom_order
+
+
+def test_choices_provider_preserves_custom_order() -> None:
+    """Test that choices_provider returning Choices with is_sorted=True preserves custom item ordering."""
+    custom_order = ("zebra", "apple", "banana")
+
+    class CustomApp(cmd2.Cmd):
+        def custom_provider(self) -> Choices:
+            return Choices.from_values(custom_order, is_sorted=True)
+
+        parser = Cmd2ArgumentParser()
+        parser.add_argument("--custom", choices_provider=custom_provider)
+
+        @with_argparser(parser)
+        def do_test(self, args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
+            pass
+
+    app = CustomApp()
+    text = ""
+    line = f"test --custom {text}"
+    endidx = len(line)
+    begidx = endidx - len(text)
+
+    completions = app.complete(text, line, begidx, endidx)
+
+    assert completions.to_strings() == custom_order