diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs
index 7b633e0f70..ef8d904fc7 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -555,6 +555,9 @@ pub async fn cli(
         let _ = ansi_term::enable_ansi_support();
     }
 
+    // we are ok if history does not exist
+    let _ = rl.load_history(&History::path());
+
     #[cfg(feature = "ctrlc")]
     {
         let cc = context.ctrl_c.clone();
@@ -642,12 +645,9 @@ pub async fn cli(
             .map(|i| i.value.expect_int())
             .unwrap_or(100_000);
 
-        rl.set_max_history_size(max_history_size as usize);
-        // rustyline::config::Configurer::set_max_history_size(&mut rl, max_history_size as usize);
-        // rustyline::Editor::set_max_history_size(&mut rl, max_history_size as usize);
-
-        // we are ok if history does not exist
-        let _ = rl.load_history(&History::path());
+        // rl.set_max_history_size(max_history_size as usize);
+        rustyline::config::Configurer::set_max_history_size(&mut rl, max_history_size as usize);
+        rustyline::Editor::set_max_history_size(&mut rl, max_history_size as usize);
 
         let key_timeout = config
             .get("key_timeout")