diff --git a/lib/readline.js b/lib/readline.js
index 1dc755fa26..3251ad2315 100644
--- a/lib/readline.js
+++ b/lib/readline.js
@@ -346,43 +346,17 @@ Interface.prototype._tabComplete = function() {
           return a.length > b.length ? a : b;
         }).length + 2;  // 2 space padding
         var maxColumns = Math.floor(self.columns / width) || 1;
-
-        function handleGroup(group) {
-          if (group.length == 0) {
-            return;
-          }
-          var minRows = Math.ceil(group.length / maxColumns);
-          for (var row = 0; row < minRows; row++) {
-            for (var col = 0; col < maxColumns; col++) {
-              var idx = row * maxColumns + col;
-              if (idx >= group.length) {
-                break;
-              }
-              var item = group[idx];
-              self.output.write(item);
-              if (col < maxColumns - 1) {
-                for (var s = 0, itemLen = item.length; s < width - itemLen;
-                     s++) {
-                  self.output.write(' ');
-                }
-              }
-            }
-            self.output.write('\r\n');
-          }
-          self.output.write('\r\n');
-        }
-
         var group = [], c;
         for (var i = 0, compLen = completions.length; i < compLen; i++) {
           c = completions[i];
           if (c === '') {
-            handleGroup(group);
+            handleGroup.call(self, group);
             group = [];
           } else {
             group.push(c);
           }
         }
-        handleGroup(group);
+        handleGroup.call(self, group);
 
         // If there is a common prefix to all matches, then apply that
         // portion.
@@ -398,6 +372,32 @@ Interface.prototype._tabComplete = function() {
   });
 };
 
+// this = Interface instance
+function handleGroup(group) {
+  var self = this;
+  if (group.length == 0) {
+    return;
+  }
+  var minRows = Math.ceil(group.length / maxColumns);
+  for (var row = 0; row < minRows; row++) {
+    for (var col = 0; col < maxColumns; col++) {
+      var idx = row * maxColumns + col;
+      if (idx >= group.length) {
+        break;
+      }
+      var item = group[idx];
+      self.output.write(item);
+      if (col < maxColumns - 1) {
+        for (var s = 0, itemLen = item.length; s < width - itemLen;
+             s++) {
+          self.output.write(' ');
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    self.output.write('\r\n');
+  }
+  self.output.write('\r\n');
+}
 
 function commonPrefix(strings) {
   if (!strings || strings.length == 0) {