diff --git a/tools/vsh.c b/tools/vsh.c
index 05de54b5b0..f954f7af77 100644
--- a/tools/vsh.c
+++ b/tools/vsh.c
@@ -2908,6 +2908,10 @@ vshReadlineInit(vshControl *ctl)
     const char *break_characters = " \t\n`@$><=;|&{(";
     const char *quote_characters = "\"'";
 
+    /* initialize readline stuff only once */
+    if (ctl->historydir)
+        return 0;
+
     /* Opaque data for autocomplete callbacks. */
     autoCompleteOpaque = ctl;