diff --git a/cli/command/completion/functions.go b/cli/command/completion/functions.go
index ac2335d9ac81..7777cb84278c 100644
--- a/cli/command/completion/functions.go
+++ b/cli/command/completion/functions.go
@@ -105,6 +105,13 @@ func NetworkNames(dockerCLI APIClientProvider) ValidArgsFn {
 	}
 }
 
+// FileNames is a convenience function to use [cobra.ShellCompDirectiveDefault],
+// which indicates to let the shell perform its default behavior after
+// completions have been provided.
+func FileNames(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string, _ string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
+	return nil, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveDefault
+}
+
 // NoComplete is used for commands where there's no relevant completion
 func NoComplete(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string, _ string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
 	return nil, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
diff --git a/cli/command/container/exec.go b/cli/command/container/exec.go
index a459c01388cd..1f5506ae2a7d 100644
--- a/cli/command/container/exec.go
+++ b/cli/command/container/exec.go
@@ -81,9 +81,7 @@ func NewExecCommand(dockerCli command.Cli) *cobra.Command {
 	_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("env", func(*cobra.Command, []string, string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
 		return os.Environ(), cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
 	})
-	_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("env-file", func(*cobra.Command, []string, string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
-		return nil, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveDefault // _filedir
-	})
+	_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("env-file", completion.FileNames)
 
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/cli/command/container/run.go b/cli/command/container/run.go
index ad618dfa46ed..32a6284bdc23 100644
--- a/cli/command/container/run.go
+++ b/cli/command/container/run.go
@@ -73,9 +73,7 @@ func NewRunCommand(dockerCli command.Cli) *cobra.Command {
 	_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("env", func(*cobra.Command, []string, string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
 		return os.Environ(), cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
 	})
-	_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("env-file", func(*cobra.Command, []string, string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
-		return nil, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveDefault
-	})
+	_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("env-file", completion.FileNames)
 	_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("network", completion.NetworkNames(dockerCli))
 	return cmd
 }