diff --git a/IPython/completer.py b/IPython/completer.py
index 781aaf2..60eb7ed 100644
--- a/IPython/completer.py
+++ b/IPython/completer.py
@@ -599,12 +599,19 @@ class IPCompleter(Completer):
         return None
         
     
-    
-    def complete(self, text, state):
+    def complete(self, text, state,line_buffer=None):
         """Return the next possible completion for 'text'.
 
         This is called successively with state == 0, 1, 2, ... until it
-        returns None.  The completion should begin with 'text'.  """
+        returns None.  The completion should begin with 'text'.
+
+        :Keywords:
+        - line_buffer: string
+        If not given, the completer attempts to obtain the current line buffer
+        via readline.  This keyword allows clients which are requesting for
+        text completions in non-readline contexts to inform the completer of
+        the entire text.
+        """
 
         #print '\n*** COMPLETE: <%s> (%s)' % (text,state)  # dbg
 
@@ -616,16 +623,20 @@ class IPCompleter(Completer):
 
         # don't apply this on 'dumb' terminals, such as emacs buffers, so we
         # don't interfere with their own tab-completion mechanism.
-        self.full_lbuf = self.get_line_buffer()
-        self.lbuf = self.full_lbuf[:self.readline.get_endidx()]
-        if not (self.dumb_terminal or self.get_line_buffer().strip()):
+        if line_buffer is None:
+            self.full_lbuf = self.get_line_buffer()
+        else:
+            self.full_lbuf = line_buffer
+            
+        if not (self.dumb_terminal or self.full_lbuf.strip()):
             self.readline.insert_text('\t')
             return None
-
         
         magic_escape = self.magic_escape
         magic_prefix = self.magic_prefix
 
+        self.lbuf = self.full_lbuf[:self.readline.get_endidx()]
+
         try:
             if text.startswith(magic_escape):
                 text = text.replace(magic_escape,magic_prefix)
diff --git a/IPython/iplib.py b/IPython/iplib.py
index 5fb394b..d04557d 100644
--- a/IPython/iplib.py
+++ b/IPython/iplib.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Requires Python 2.3 or newer.
 
 This file contains all the classes and helper functions specific to IPython.
 
-$Id: iplib.py 2196 2007-04-02 06:02:16Z fperez $
+$Id: iplib.py 2197 2007-04-02 07:36:55Z fperez $
 """
 
 #*****************************************************************************
@@ -1003,10 +1003,11 @@ class InteractiveShell(object,Magic):
         complete = self.Completer.complete
         state = 0
         # use a dict so we get unique keys, since ipyhton's multiple
-        # completers can return duplicates.
+        # completers can return duplicates.  When we make 2.4 a requirement,
+        # start using sets instead, which are faster.
         comps = {}
         while True:
-            newcomp = complete(text,state)
+            newcomp = complete(text,state,line_buffer=text)
             if newcomp is None:
                 break
             comps[newcomp] = 1
diff --git a/doc/ChangeLog b/doc/ChangeLog
index c4d00e2..700eb6a 100644
--- a/doc/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 2007-04-02  Fernando Perez  <Fernando.Perez@colorado.edu>
 
+	* IPython/completer.py (IPCompleter.complete): extend the
+	complete() call API to support completions by other mechanisms
+	than readline.  Closes #109.
+
 	* IPython/iplib.py (safe_execfile): add a safeguard under Win32 to
 	protect against a bug in Python's execfile().  Closes #123.