diff --git a/bpython/autocomplete.py b/bpython/autocomplete.py
index 34bea9fcc..110c0d762 100644
--- a/bpython/autocomplete.py
+++ b/bpython/autocomplete.py
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ def safe_eval(expr, namespace):
     try:
         obj = eval(expr, namespace)
         return obj
-    except (NameError, AttributeError) as e:
+    except (NameError, AttributeError, SyntaxError) as e:
         # If debugging safe_eval, raise this!
         # raise e
         return SafeEvalFailed
diff --git a/bpython/test/test_autocomplete.py b/bpython/test/test_autocomplete.py
index cbe4b389b..f6fdba3b4 100644
--- a/bpython/test/test_autocomplete.py
+++ b/bpython/test/test_autocomplete.py
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ def test_cw(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.repl.cw(), 'datetime')
 """
 
+class TestSafeEval(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_catches_syntax_error(self):
+        try:
+            autocomplete.safe_eval('1re',{})
+        except:
+            self.fail('safe_eval raises an error')
 
 # make some fake files? Dependency inject? mock?
 class TestFilenameCompletion(unittest.TestCase):