diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index dbd8755d8..ab268041b 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -200,9 +200,9 @@ impl Application {
                     self.render();
                 }
                 _ = &mut self.editor.idle_timer => {
+                    // idle timeout
                     self.editor.clear_idle_timer();
-                    println!("idle!")
-                 // idle timeout
+                    self.handle_idle_timeout();
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -233,6 +233,40 @@ impl Application {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn handle_idle_timeout(&mut self) {
+        use helix_view::document::Mode;
+        use crate::commands::{Context, completion};
+
+
+        if doc_mut!(self.editor).mode != Mode::Insert {
+            return;
+        }
+        let editor_view = self
+            .compositor
+            .find(std::any::type_name::<ui::EditorView>())
+            .expect("expected at least one EditorView");
+        let editor_view = editor_view
+            .as_any_mut()
+            .downcast_mut::<ui::EditorView>()
+            .unwrap();
+
+        if editor_view.completion.is_some() {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let mut cx = Context {
+            selected_register: helix_view::RegisterSelection::default(),
+            editor: &mut self.editor,
+            jobs: &mut self.jobs,
+            count: None,
+            callback: None,
+            on_next_key_callback: None,
+        };
+       completion(&mut cx);
+       // TODO: scan backwards for trigger and filter the box
+       self.render();
+    }
+
     pub fn handle_terminal_events(&mut self, event: Option<Result<Event, crossterm::ErrorKind>>) {
         let mut cx = crate::compositor::Context {
             editor: &mut self.editor,
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index ec76c81dc..1dbb56168 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -4045,7 +4045,7 @@ fn remove_primary_selection(cx: &mut Context) {
     doc.set_selection(view.id, selection);
 }
 
-fn completion(cx: &mut Context) {
+pub fn completion(cx: &mut Context) {
     // trigger on trigger char, or if user calls it
     // (or on word char typing??)
     // after it's triggered, if response marked is_incomplete, update on every subsequent keypress
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
index aa2d66360..ee3b3c65a 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pub struct EditorView {
     keymaps: Keymaps,
     on_next_key: Option<Box<dyn FnOnce(&mut commands::Context, KeyEvent)>>,
     last_insert: (commands::Command, Vec<KeyEvent>),
-    completion: Option<Completion>,
+    pub(crate) completion: Option<Completion>,
     spinners: ProgressSpinners,
     autoinfo: Option<Info>,
 }