diff --git a/exec.go b/exec.go
index cc5016a..e1862ed 100644
--- a/exec.go
+++ b/exec.go
@@ -540,13 +540,9 @@ func splitInput(input string) ([]string, string) {
 }
 
 func cmdFinish(code uint8, cmdstr string, private bool) {
-	// if input has space at the beginning, dont put in history
-	if interactive && !private {
-		handleHistory(cmdstr)
-	}
 	util.SetField(l, hshMod, "exitCode", rt.IntValue(int64(code)), "Exit code of last exected command")
 	// using AsValue (to convert to lua type) on an interface which is an int
 	// results in it being unknown in lua .... ????
 	// so we allow the hook handler to take lua runtime Values
-	hooks.Em.Emit("command.exit", rt.IntValue(int64(code)), cmdstr)
+	hooks.Em.Emit("command.exit", rt.IntValue(int64(code)), cmdstr, private)
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 99f333a..0664cc1 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -268,11 +268,6 @@ func fmtPrompt(prompt string) string {
 	return nprompt
 }
 
-func handleHistory(cmd string) {
-	lr.AddHistory(cmd)
-	// TODO: load history again (history shared between sessions like this ye)
-}
-
 func removeDupes(slice []string) []string {
 	all := make(map[string]bool)
 	newSlice := []string{}
diff --git a/nature/init.lua b/nature/init.lua
index df31d8d..845ade0 100644
--- a/nature/init.lua
+++ b/nature/init.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ require 'nature.completions'
 require 'nature.opts'
 require 'nature.vim'
 require 'nature.runner'
+require 'nature.history'
 
 local shlvl = tonumber(os.getenv 'SHLVL')
 if shlvl ~= nil then
diff --git a/nature/opts/history.lua b/nature/opts/history.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7ab1d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nature/opts/history.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+local bait = require 'bait'
+
+bait.catch('command.exit', function(_, cmd, priv)
+	if not priv and hilbish.opts.history then hilbish.history.add(cmd) end
+end)
diff --git a/nature/opts/init.lua b/nature/opts/init.lua
index 59d3cbd..3b39834 100644
--- a/nature/opts/init.lua
+++ b/nature/opts/init.lua
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ local function setupOpt(name, default)
 end
 
 local defaultOpts = {
-	autocd = false
+	autocd = false,
+	history = true
 }
 
 for optsName, default in pairs(defaultOpts) do