diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f130357d3..65c75b7fd 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -429,6 +429,12 @@ ghci-shake: $(call def-help,ghci-shake, start ghci REPL on Shake.hs)
 copy-bins-to-%: $(call def-help,copy-bins-to-VER, save ~/.local/bin/hledger* as hledger*-VER)
 	V=$*; for B in $(BINARIES); do cp ~/.local/bin/$$B ~/.local/bin/$$B.$$V; done
 
+# make must be GNU Make 4.3+
+.PHONY: shellcompletions
+shellcompletions: $(call def-help,shellcompletions, update shell completions in hledger package)
+	make -C hledger/shell-completion/ clean-all all
+
+
 ###############################################################################
 $(call def-help-subheading,TESTING:)
 
diff --git a/hledger/shell-completion/Makefile b/hledger/shell-completion/Makefile
index 257e34297..2e8d60fd6 100644
--- a/hledger/shell-completion/Makefile
+++ b/hledger/shell-completion/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# Generate shell completions.
+# Requires: GNU Make 4.3+, GNU m4
+
 # Setting the number of job runners like this in the makefile only works in
 # GNU Make 4.3 or later. Older versions will require that either an env
 # variable be set before running or command line flag be passed at runtime to