diff --git a/tests/unit/autocomplete/autocomplete_options.js b/tests/unit/autocomplete/autocomplete_options.js
index d3a25d2fc..913f5bc28 100644
--- a/tests/unit/autocomplete/autocomplete_options.js
+++ b/tests/unit/autocomplete/autocomplete_options.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module( "autocomplete: options" );
 var data = [ "c++", "java", "php", "coldfusion", "javascript", "asp", "ruby", "python", "c", "scala", "groovy", "haskell", "perl" ];
 
 test( "appendTo", function() {
-	expect( 7 );
+	expect( 8 );
 	var detached = $( "<div>" ),
 		element = $( "#autocomplete" ).autocomplete();
 	equal( element.autocomplete( "widget" ).parent()[0], document.body, "defaults to body" );
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ test( "appendTo", function() {
 	});
 	equal( element.autocomplete( "widget" ).parent()[0], detached[0], "detached DOM element" );
 	element.autocomplete( "destroy" );
+
+	element.autocomplete().autocomplete( "option", "appendTo", detached );
+	equal( element.autocomplete( "widget" ).parent()[0], detached[0], "detached DOM element via option()" );
+	element.autocomplete( "destroy" );
 });
 
 function autoFocusTest( afValue, focusedLength ) {
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
index c049b8569..a858b3382 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete.js
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.autocomplete", {
 			this._initSource();
 		}
 		if ( key === "appendTo" ) {
-			this.menu.element.appendTo( this.document.find( value || "body" )[0] );
+			this.menu.element.appendTo( this._appendTo() );
 		}
 		if ( key === "disabled" && value && this.xhr ) {
 			this.xhr.abort();