diff --git a/src/click/shell_completion.py b/src/click/shell_completion.py
index ef68dff46..e3796f7bc 100644
--- a/src/click/shell_completion.py
+++ b/src/click/shell_completion.py
@@ -259,24 +259,26 @@ def get_completion_source(shell):
             completion_source = shell_source
             # BashComplete only supports versions >= 4.4
             if shell == "bash":
-                output = run(["bash", "--version"], stdout=PIPE)
-                match = re.search(r"\d\.\d\.\d", output.stdout.decode())
-                if match:
-                    bash_version = match.group().split(".")
-                    if (
-                        bash_version[0] < "4"
-                        or bash_version[0] == "4"
-                        and bash_version[1] < "4"
-                    ):
-                        raise Exception(
-                            "Shell completion is not supported"
-                            "for bash versions older than 4.4"
-                        )
+                if bash_version_not_usable():
+                    raise Exception(
+                        "Shell completion is not supported"
+                        "for bash versions older than 4.4"
+                    )
             break
 
     return completion_source
 
 
+def bash_version_not_usable():
+    output = run(["bash", "--version"], stdout=PIPE)
+    match = re.search(r"\d\.\d\.\d", output.stdout.decode())
+    if match:
+        bash_version = match.group().split(".")
+        if bash_version[0] < "4" or bash_version[0] == "4" and bash_version[1] < "4":
+            return True
+        return False
+
+
 def is_incomplete_argument(current_params, cmd_param):
     """
     :param current_params: the current params and values for this
diff --git a/tests/test_shellcomplete.py b/tests/test_shellcomplete.py
index 0332b0427..40747d563 100644
--- a/tests/test_shellcomplete.py
+++ b/tests/test_shellcomplete.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from click.core import Command
 from click.core import MultiCommand
 from click.core import Parameter
+from click.shell_completion import bash_version_not_usable
 from click.shell_completion import get_completion_source
 from click.shell_completion import resolve_ctx
 from click.shell_completion import resolve_partial_value
@@ -13,6 +14,10 @@
 # TODO: change ``do_completion`` interface so it can be directly
 # tested rather than having to create these helper functions
 
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(
+    bash_version_not_usable(), reason="Autocomplete not supported on bash < 4.4"
+)
+
 
 def create_cmpl_obj(cli, shell):
     prog_name = cli.name