diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
index f8470a8a14..1b0f2138f9 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 
 		this._initSource();
 		this.menu = $( "<ul>" )
-			.addClass( "ui-autocomplete" )
+			.addClass( "ui-autocomplete ui-front" )
 			.appendTo( this._appendTo() )
 			.menu({
 				// custom key handling for now
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 				// disable ARIA support, the live region takes care of that
 				role: null
 			})
-			.zIndex( this.element.zIndex() + 1 )
 			.hide()
 			.data( "ui-menu" );
 
@@ -489,9 +488,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 	},
 
 	_suggest: function( items ) {
-		var ul = this.menu.element
-			.empty()
-			.zIndex( this.element.zIndex() + 1 );
+		var ul = this.menu.element.empty();
 		this._renderMenu( ul, items );
 		this.menu.refresh();