Configure helm--completing-read-default to pick the top match

Question

I have the variable completing-read-function set to helm--completing-read-default. When an external package invokes completing-read, this gives helm-based completion. However, the default item picked by the helm completions buffer is the exact string that I have typed. In the helm window, this is the one at the top of all the selections and prefixed by a ?. This isn't the behaviour I see with helm-find-files - the default selection there is the top match. So, if I have entered abc and there is a file named xyzabc.txt it will be selected(assuming its the top match). How do I get this behaviour with helm--completing-read-default? Note that I don't want to change the code of the external package which simply invokes completing-read.

Answer 1

I've asked helm's author years ago about this particular issue. Your described behaviour happens whenever a completing read does not specify that it requires an exact candidate match and is therefore not considered a helm bug. That's why he recommends fixing these functions instead of providing an option to allow for this behaviour.