diff --git a/lisp/ChangeLog b/lisp/ChangeLog
index c794ddb0788..ca24dcff4a7 100644
--- a/lisp/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2011-03-11  Juanma Barranquero  <lekktu@gmail.com>
+
+	* help-fns.el (describe-variable): Don't complete keywords.
+	Suggested by Teodor Zlatanov <tzz@lifelogs.com>.
+
 2011-03-10  Chong Yidong  <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
 
 	* emacs-lisp/package.el (package-version-join): Impose a standard
diff --git a/lisp/help-fns.el b/lisp/help-fns.el
index 38e331dc992..e27a1e47b5c 100644
--- a/lisp/help-fns.el
+++ b/lisp/help-fns.el
@@ -592,9 +592,10 @@ it is displayed along with the global value."
 				     "Describe variable (default %s): " v)
 				  "Describe variable: ")
 				obarray
-				'(lambda (vv)
-				   (or (boundp vv)
-				       (get vv 'variable-documentation)))
+                                (lambda (vv)
+                                  (and (not (keywordp vv))
+                                       (or (boundp vv)
+                                           (get vv 'variable-documentation))))
 				t nil nil
 				(if (symbolp v) (symbol-name v))))
      (list (if (equal val "")