diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.menu.js b/ui/jquery.ui.menu.js
index 8d99272d0..3c445eca1 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.menu.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.menu.js
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
  */
 (function( $, undefined ) {
 
-var mouseHandled = false;
-
 $.widget( "ui.menu", {
 	version: "@VERSION",
 	defaultElement: "<ul>",
@@ -40,6 +38,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.menu", {
 
 	_create: function() {
 		this.activeMenu = this.element;
+		this.mouseHandled = false;
 		this.element
 			.uniqueId()
 			.addClass( "ui-menu ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-corner-all" )
@@ -73,8 +72,8 @@ $.widget( "ui.menu", {
 			},
 			"click .ui-menu-item:has(a)": function( event ) {
 				var target = $( event.target ).closest( ".ui-menu-item" );
-				if ( !mouseHandled && target.not( ".ui-state-disabled" ).length ) {
-					mouseHandled = true;
+				if ( !this.mouseHandled && target.not( ".ui-state-disabled" ).length ) {
+					this.mouseHandled = true;
 
 					this.select( event );
 					// Open submenu on click
@@ -130,7 +129,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.menu", {
 				}
 
 				// Reset the mouseHandled flag
-				mouseHandled = false;
+				this.mouseHandled = false;
 			}
 		});
 	},