diff --git a/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html b/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html
index cc43f45277..c8270c2d81 100644
--- a/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html
+++ b/demos/autocomplete/combobox.html
@@ -111,7 +111,6 @@
 
 				input.data( "autocomplete" )._renderItem = function( ul, item ) {
 					return $( "<li>" )
-						.data( "item.autocomplete", item )
 						.append( "<a>" + item.label + "</a>" )
 						.appendTo( ul );
 				};
diff --git a/demos/autocomplete/custom-data.html b/demos/autocomplete/custom-data.html
index 1e64df047a..df191b8993 100644
--- a/demos/autocomplete/custom-data.html
+++ b/demos/autocomplete/custom-data.html
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@
 		})
 		.data( "autocomplete" )._renderItem = function( ul, item ) {
 			return $( "<li>" )
-				.data( "item.autocomplete", item )
 				.append( "<a>" + item.label + "<br>" + item.desc + "</a>" )
 				.appendTo( ul );
 		};
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
index 2d064834ce..327bfa17e2 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
@@ -237,9 +237,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 					}
 				}
 
-				// back compat for _renderItem using item.autocomplete, via #7810
-				// TODO remove the fallback, see #8156
-				var item = ui.item.data( "ui-autocomplete-item" ) || ui.item.data( "item.autocomplete" );
+				var item = ui.item.data( "ui-autocomplete-item" );
 				if ( false !== this._trigger( "focus", event, { item: item } ) ) {
 					// use value to match what will end up in the input, if it was a key event
 					if ( event.originalEvent && /^key/.test( event.originalEvent.type ) ) {
@@ -255,9 +253,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 				}
 			},
 			menuselect: function( event, ui ) {
-				// back compat for _renderItem using item.autocomplete, via #7810
-				// TODO remove the fallback, see #8156
-				var item = ui.item.data( "ui-autocomplete-item" ) || ui.item.data( "item.autocomplete" ),
+				var item = ui.item.data( "ui-autocomplete-item" ),
 					previous = this.previous;
 
 				// only trigger when focus was lost (click on menu)