diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js
index 4e92fe5f9..5279f7e03 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/completer.js
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
 
             // Currently webkit doesn't use the size attr correctly. See:
             // https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=4579
-            this.sel = $('<select style="width: auto"/>')
+            this.sel = $('<select/>')
                 .attr('tabindex', -1)
                 .attr('multiple', 'true');
             this.complete.append(this.sel);
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/completer.less b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/completer.less
index 6f633ded7..1e564a241 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/completer.less
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/completer.less
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     font-family: @monoFontFamily;
     font-size: 110%;
     color: @textColor;
+    width: auto;
 }
 
 .completions select option.context {