diff --git a/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html b/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html
index 10d16539202..4cc98d8f988 100644
--- a/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html
+++ b/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@
 						minLength: 0
 					})
 					.addClass("ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-corner-left");
+				input.data("autocomplete")._renderItem = function( ul, item) {
+					return $( "<li></li>" )
+						.data( "item.autocomplete", item )
+						.append( "<a>" + item.label + "</a>" )
+						.appendTo( ul );
+				};
 				$("<button>&nbsp;</button>")
 				.attr("tabIndex", -1)
 				.attr("title", "Show All Items")
diff --git a/demos/autocomplete/search.php b/demos/autocomplete/search.php
index 01206489a13..8fa9d28f818 100644
--- a/demos/autocomplete/search.php
+++ b/demos/autocomplete/search.php
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 $q = strtolower($_GET["term"]);
 if (!$q) return;
 $items = array(
-"Great <em>Bittern</em>"=>"Botaurus stellaris",
-"Little <em>Grebe</em>"=>"Tachybaptus ruficollis",
+"Great Bittern"=>"Botaurus stellaris",
+"Little Grebe"=>"Tachybaptus ruficollis",
 "Black-necked Grebe"=>"Podiceps nigricollis",
 "Little Bittern"=>"Ixobrychus minutus",
 "Black-crowned Night Heron"=>"Nycticorax nycticorax",
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
index c25a8884f26..27bfe941c8e 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 	_renderItem: function( ul, item) {
 		return $( "<li></li>" )
 			.data( "item.autocomplete", item )
-			.append( "<a>" + item.label + "</a>" )
+			.append( $( "<a></a>" ).text( item.label ) )
 			.appendTo( ul );
 	},