diff --git a/.chezmoiexternal.yaml b/.chezmoiexternal.yaml
index 476bc71..13932e6 100644
--- a/.chezmoiexternal.yaml
+++ b/.chezmoiexternal.yaml
@@ -23,3 +23,8 @@
   type: git-repo
   url: https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git
   clone.args: --branch 0.7.1
+{{- if .development.conda }}
+.local/share/zsh/completion/zsh-conda-completion:
+  type: git-repo
+  url: https://github.com/conda-incubator/conda-zsh-completion.git
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/dot_config/conda/condarc.tmpl b/dot_config/conda/condarc.tmpl
index cf8d3d7..d163692 100644
--- a/dot_config/conda/condarc.tmpl
+++ b/dot_config/conda/condarc.tmpl
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ channels:
 
 channel_priority: strict
 
-envs_dirs:
-  - {{ .paths.data }}/conda/envs
+# define this in zshrc so the completion engine can find my local envs
+#envs_dirs:
+#  - {{ .paths.data }}/conda/envs
 
 pkgs_dirs:
   - {{ .paths.data }}/conda/pkgs
diff --git a/dot_config/zsh/dot_zshrc.tmpl b/dot_config/zsh/dot_zshrc.tmpl
index 6d6e3b4..5e159c2 100644
--- a/dot_config/zsh/dot_zshrc.tmpl
+++ b/dot_config/zsh/dot_zshrc.tmpl
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ alias_if_sudo () {
 # autocompletion
 ## --------------------------------------------------
 
+{{ if .development.conda -}}
+# add conda completions to path if desired
+fpath+="$XDG_DATA_HOME/zsh/completion/zsh-conda-completion"
+{{- end }}
+
 # load stuff (order matters)
 zmodload zsh/complist
 autoload -Uz compinit && compinit -i
@@ -64,6 +69,12 @@ zstyle ':completion:*:*:*:*:descriptions' format '%F{green}-- %d --%f'
 zstyle ':completion:*:messages' format ' %F{purple} -- %d --%f'
 zstyle ':completion:*:warnings' format ' %F{red}-- no matches found --%f'
 
+{{ if .development.conda -}}
+# show group headers for conda completion
+zstyle ":conda_zsh_completion:*" use-groups true
+zstyle ':completion::complete:*' use-cache 1
+{{- end }}
+
 # use sane grouping
 zstyle ':completion:*' group-name ''
 
@@ -469,5 +480,8 @@ zsh-conda () {
     alias cda="conda activate"
     alias cde="conda env"
     alias cdl="conda list"
+
+    # this is here and not in condarc so comp can find local envs
+    export CONDA_ENVS_DIRS=$XDG_DATA_HOME/conda/envs
 }
 {{- end }}