diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 3c1d508..0dd2e84 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -9,10 +9,17 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
+type cmdItem struct {
+	pref string
+	s    string
+}
+
 type app struct {
-	ui   *ui
-	nav  *nav
-	quit chan bool
+	ui      *ui
+	nav     *nav
+	quit    chan bool
+	cmdHist []cmdItem
+	cmdHind int
 }
 
 func newApp() *app {
diff --git a/doc.go b/doc.go
index 4efad37..48f7281 100644
--- a/doc.go
+++ b/doc.go
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ keybindings:
     cmd-escape        (default "<esc>")
     cmd-comp          (default "<tab>")
     cmd-enter         (default "<c-j>" and "<enter>")
+    cmd-hist-next     (default "<c-n>")
+    cmd-hist-prev     (default "<c-p>")
     cmd-delete        (default "<c-d>" and "<delete>")
     cmd-delete-back   (default "<bs>" and "<bs2>")
     cmd-left          (default "<c-b>" and "<left>")
diff --git a/docstring.go b/docstring.go
index 4fb6725..bc95425 100644
--- a/docstring.go
+++ b/docstring.go
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ keybindings:
     cmd-escape        (default "<esc>")
     cmd-comp          (default "<tab>")
     cmd-enter         (default "<c-j>" and "<enter>")
+    cmd-hist-next     (default "<c-n>")
+    cmd-hist-prev     (default "<c-p>")
     cmd-delete        (default "<c-d>" and "<delete>")
     cmd-delete-back   (default "<bs>" and "<bs2>")
     cmd-left          (default "<c-b>" and "<left>")
diff --git a/eval.go b/eval.go
index 60d4c95..d492405 100644
--- a/eval.go
+++ b/eval.go
@@ -395,7 +395,6 @@ func (e *callExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 		}
 	case "cmd-escape":
 		app.ui.menubuf = nil
-		app.ui.cmdbuf = nil
 		app.ui.cmdlacc = nil
 		app.ui.cmdracc = nil
 		app.ui.cmdpref = ""
@@ -418,7 +417,6 @@ func (e *callExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 			return
 		}
 		app.ui.menubuf = nil
-		app.ui.cmdbuf = nil
 		app.ui.cmdlacc = nil
 		app.ui.cmdracc = nil
 		switch app.ui.cmdpref {
@@ -456,7 +454,34 @@ func (e *callExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 		default:
 			log.Printf("entering unknown execution prefix: %q", app.ui.cmdpref)
 		}
+		app.cmdHist = append(app.cmdHist, cmdItem{app.ui.cmdpref, s})
 		app.ui.cmdpref = ""
+	case "cmd-hist-prev":
+		if app.cmdHind == len(app.cmdHist) {
+			return
+		}
+		app.cmdHind++
+		cmd := app.cmdHist[len(app.cmdHist)-app.cmdHind]
+		app.ui.cmdpref = cmd.pref
+		app.ui.cmdlacc = []rune(cmd.s)
+		app.ui.cmdracc = nil
+		app.ui.menubuf = nil
+	case "cmd-hist-next":
+		if app.cmdHind > 0 {
+			app.cmdHind--
+		}
+		if app.cmdHind == 0 {
+			app.ui.menubuf = nil
+			app.ui.cmdlacc = nil
+			app.ui.cmdracc = nil
+			app.ui.cmdpref = ""
+			return
+		}
+		cmd := app.cmdHist[len(app.cmdHist)-app.cmdHind]
+		app.ui.cmdpref = cmd.pref
+		app.ui.cmdlacc = []rune(cmd.s)
+		app.ui.cmdracc = nil
+		app.ui.menubuf = nil
 	case "cmd-delete-back":
 		if len(app.ui.cmdlacc) > 0 {
 			app.ui.cmdlacc = app.ui.cmdlacc[:len(app.ui.cmdlacc)-1]
diff --git a/opts.go b/opts.go
index afa7998..8c08e57 100644
--- a/opts.go
+++ b/opts.go
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ func init() {
 	gOpts.keys["$"] = &callExpr{"read-shell", nil}
 	gOpts.keys["!"] = &callExpr{"read-shell-wait", nil}
 	gOpts.keys["&"] = &callExpr{"read-shell-async", nil}
+	gOpts.keys["<c-n>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-hist-next", nil}
+	gOpts.keys["<c-p>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-hist-prev", nil}
 	gOpts.keys["/"] = &callExpr{"search", nil}
 	gOpts.keys["?"] = &callExpr{"search-back", nil}
 	gOpts.keys["n"] = &callExpr{"search-next", nil}
@@ -79,6 +81,8 @@ func init() {
 	gOpts.cmdkeys["<tab>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-comp", nil}
 	gOpts.cmdkeys["<enter>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-enter", nil}
 	gOpts.cmdkeys["<c-j>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-enter", nil}
+	gOpts.cmdkeys["<c-n>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-hist-next", nil}
+	gOpts.cmdkeys["<c-p>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-hist-prev", nil}
 	gOpts.cmdkeys["<bs>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-delete-back", nil}
 	gOpts.cmdkeys["<bs2>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-delete-back", nil}
 	gOpts.cmdkeys["<delete>"] = &callExpr{"cmd-delete", nil}