--- a/xpfe/components/autocomplete/resources/content/autocomplete.xml
+++ b/xpfe/components/autocomplete/resources/content/autocomplete.xml
@@ -47,18 +47,20 @@
         // set default property values
         this.ifSetAttribute("timeout", 50);
         this.ifSetAttribute("maxrows", 5);
         this.ifSetAttribute("showpopup", true);
         this.ifSetAttribute("disablehistory", true);
         this.ifSetAttribute("disableKeyNavigation", true);
         
         // initialize the search sessions
-        this.initSearchSessions();
-        this.initAutoCompleteSearch();
+        if (this.hasAttribute("searchSessions"))
+          this.initSearchSessions();
+        if (this.hasAttribute("autocompletesearch"))
+          this.initAutoCompleteSearch();
         
         // hack to work around lack of bottom-up constructor calling
         if ("initialize" in this.resultsPopup)
           this.resultsPopup.initialize();
       ]]></constructor>
 
       <destructor><![CDATA[
         this.clearResults(false);