diff --git a/IPython/completer.py b/IPython/completer.py
index 99e808a..ebf4152 100644
--- a/IPython/completer.py
+++ b/IPython/completer.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ except NameError:
     from sets import Set as set
 
 
-from IPython.genutils import shlex_split
+from IPython.genutils import shlex_split,debugp
 
 __all__ = ['Completer','IPCompleter']
 
@@ -392,6 +392,7 @@ class IPCompleter(Completer):
 
     def alias_matches(self, text):
         """Match internal system aliases"""
+
         #print 'Completer->alias_matches:',text # dbg
         text = os.path.expanduser(text)
         aliases =  self.alias_table.keys()
@@ -402,7 +403,8 @@ class IPCompleter(Completer):
 
     def python_matches(self,text):
         """Match attributes or global python names"""
-        #print 'Completer->python_matches' # dbg
+
+        #print 'Completer->python_matches, txt=<%s>' % text # dbg
         if "." in text:
             try:
                 matches = self.attr_matches(text)
diff --git a/IPython/iplib.py b/IPython/iplib.py
index e6c61cc..49561d8 100644
--- a/IPython/iplib.py
+++ b/IPython/iplib.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Requires Python 2.1 or newer.
 
 This file contains all the classes and helper functions specific to IPython.
 
-$Id: iplib.py 994 2006-01-08 08:29:44Z fperez $
+$Id: iplib.py 995 2006-01-08 16:23:20Z fperez $
 """
 
 #*****************************************************************************
@@ -844,6 +844,7 @@ class InteractiveShell(object,Magic):
 
     def ipsystem(self,arg_s):
         """Make a system call, using IPython."""
+
         self.system(arg_s)
 
     def complete(self,text):
@@ -880,7 +881,7 @@ class InteractiveShell(object,Magic):
         outcomps.sort()
         return outcomps
         
-    def set_completer_frame(self, frame):
+    def set_completer_frame(self, frame=None):
         if frame:
             self.Completer.namespace = frame.f_locals
             self.Completer.global_namespace = frame.f_globals
@@ -892,6 +893,7 @@ class InteractiveShell(object,Magic):
         """Define some aliases automatically.
 
         These are ALL parameter-less aliases"""
+
         for alias,cmd in self.auto_alias:
             self.alias_table[alias] = (0,cmd)
 
@@ -1346,7 +1348,7 @@ want to merge them back into the new files.""" % locals()
 
         # make sure the tab-completer has the correct frame information, so it
         # actually completes using the frame's locals/globals
-        self.set_completer_frame(call_frame)
+        self.set_completer_frame()
 
         # before activating the interactive mode, we need to make sure that
         # all names in the builtin namespace needed by ipython point to
diff --git a/doc/ChangeLog b/doc/ChangeLog
index de732f8..fe004a3 100644
--- a/doc/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 2006-01-08  Fernando Perez  <Fernando.Perez@colorado.edu>
 
+	* IPython/iplib.py (embed_mainloop): fix tab-completion in
+	embedded instances, for variables defined at the interactive
+	prompt of the embedded ipython.  Reported by Arnd.
+
 	* IPython/Magic.py (magic_autocall): Fix %autocall magic.  Now
 	it can be used as a (stateful) toggle, or with a direct parameter.