diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
index 6b9ee4b3af..ab2edfdffd 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
@@ -265,9 +265,19 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 			.zIndex( this.element.zIndex() + 1 )
 			.hide()
 			.data( "menu" );
+
 		if ( $.fn.bgiframe ) {
 			 this.menu.element.bgiframe();
 		}
+
+		// turning off autocomplete prevents the browser from remembering the
+		// value when navigating through history, so we re-enable autocomplete
+		// if the page is unloaded before the widget is destroyed. #7790
+		this._bind( doc.defaultView, {
+			beforeunload: function() {
+				this.element.removeAttr( "autocomplete" );
+			}
+		});
 	},
 
 	_destroy: function() {