autocomplete - not doing ajax request due to backslash or delete key

I'm using autocomplete with ui 1.8.4 and core 1.4.2

The use-case is the following:

with minLenght:1

1) Type a

2) the <ul> with suggested results comes out, that's ok

3) press <backspace> or highlight the text just entered and then press <cancel>

4) Type a

5) Noting happens

I think the problem is what happens at line 4817 of jquery-ui-1.8.4.custom.js

// only search if the value has changed
if ( self.term != self.element.val() ) {

1) type a, term == undefined, self.element.val()==a, ok, do the search and set term=a

2) press backspace or delete what is within input, the "if" returns true, the search is invoked but since

''.length == 0

, it does not comply with minLength value, preventing the search and NOT setting term = empty string.

3) type a, term == a, self.element.val == a, the "if" returns false, doing anything.

I think the problem could be solved setting term to the value typed even if the minLenght is not reached.