diff --git a/IPython/iplib.py b/IPython/iplib.py
index deffb67..3e3ebef 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 2190 2007-03-30 18:35:46Z fperez $
+$Id: iplib.py 2195 2007-04-02 05:35:16Z fperez $
 """
 
 #*****************************************************************************
@@ -2045,6 +2045,14 @@ want to merge them back into the new files.""" % locals()
         else:
             pre,iFun,theRest = lsplit.groups()
 
+        # iFun has to be a valid python identifier, so it better be only pure
+        #ascii, no unicode:
+        try:
+            iFun = iFun.encode('ascii')
+        except UnicodeEncodeError:
+            theRest = iFun+u' '+theRest
+            iFun = u''
+            
         #print 'line:<%s>' % line # dbg
         #print 'pre <%s> iFun <%s> rest <%s>' % (pre,iFun.strip(),theRest) # dbg
         return pre,iFun.strip(),theRest
diff --git a/doc/ChangeLog b/doc/ChangeLog
index c88159f..d3d0c69 100644
--- a/doc/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 2007-04-01  Fernando Perez  <Fernando.Perez@colorado.edu>
 
+	* IPython/iplib.py (split_user_input): ensure that when splitting
+	user input, the part that can be treated as a python name is pure
+	ascii (Python identifiers MUST be pure ascii).  Part of the
+	ongoing Unicode support work.
+
 	* IPython/Prompts.py (prompt_specials_color): Add \N for the
 	actual prompt number, without any coloring.  This allows users to
 	produce numbered prompts with their own colors.  Added after a