diff --git a/apps/code/editor_controller.cpp b/apps/code/editor_controller.cpp
index 3e5cc408b..dd4eadba1 100644
--- a/apps/code/editor_controller.cpp
+++ b/apps/code/editor_controller.cpp
@@ -124,9 +124,10 @@ bool EditorController::textAreaDidReceiveEvent(TextArea * textArea, Ion::Events:
 
 VariableBoxController * EditorController::variableBoxForInputEventHandler(InputEventHandler * textInput) {
   VariableBoxController * varBox = App::app()->variableBoxController();
-  int length = 0;
-  const char * text = m_editorView.textToAutocomplete(&length);
-  varBox->loadFunctionsAndVariables(m_scriptIndex, text, length);
+  // If the editor is autocompleting, the variable box has already been loaded
+  if (!m_editorView.isAutocompleting()) {
+    varBox->loadFunctionsAndVariables(m_scriptIndex, nullptr, 0);
+  }
   return varBox;
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/code/editor_view.cpp b/apps/code/editor_view.cpp
index 0e174f95e..f16bfec21 100644
--- a/apps/code/editor_view.cpp
+++ b/apps/code/editor_view.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ const char * EditorView::textToAutocomplete(int * length) const {
   return m_textArea.textToAutocomplete(length);
 }
 
+bool EditorView::isAutocompleting() const {
+  return m_textArea.isAutocompleting();
+}
+
 void EditorView::resetSelection() {
   m_textArea.resetSelection();
 }
diff --git a/apps/code/editor_view.h b/apps/code/editor_view.h
index 24455c48d..2093bcc3d 100644
--- a/apps/code/editor_view.h
+++ b/apps/code/editor_view.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ class EditorView : public Responder, public View, public ScrollViewDelegate {
 public:
   EditorView(Responder * parentResponder, App * pythonDelegate);
 
+  bool isAutocompleting() const;
   /* Returns the beginning of the text to autocomplete, and loads its length in
    * the method parameter length */
   const char *  textToAutocomplete(int * length) const;
diff --git a/apps/code/python_text_area.h b/apps/code/python_text_area.h
index c58e586c1..6c4765910 100644
--- a/apps/code/python_text_area.h
+++ b/apps/code/python_text_area.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ public:
   bool handleEvent(Ion::Events::Event event) override;
   bool handleEventWithText(const char * text, bool indentation = false, bool forceCursorRightOfText = false) override;
   const char * textToAutocomplete(int * length = nullptr) const;
+  bool isAutocompleting() const { return m_contentView.isAutocompleting(); }
 protected:
   class ContentView : public TextArea::ContentView {
   public: