diff --git a/usr.bin/ftp/ftp_var.h b/usr.bin/ftp/ftp_var.h
index c13b32ca27ea..a906ca8e9b99 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ftp/ftp_var.h
+++ b/usr.bin/ftp/ftp_var.h
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ int     try_epsv;               /* try EPSV for this session */
 int	  editing;		/* command line editing enabled */
 EditLine *el;			/* editline(3) status structure */
 History  *hist;			/* editline(3) history structure */
+HistEvent he;			/* editline(3) history structure */
 char	 *cursor_pos;		/* cursor position we're looking for */
 size_t	  cursor_argc;		/* location of cursor in margv */
 size_t	  cursor_argo;		/* offset of cursor in margv[cursor_argc] */
diff --git a/usr.bin/ftp/main.c b/usr.bin/ftp/main.c
index 3ded48df33f6..b5bfc6f4b859 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ftp/main.c
+++ b/usr.bin/ftp/main.c
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ cmdscanner(top)
 			}
 			memcpy(line, buf, num);
 			line[num] = '\0';
-			history(hist, H_ENTER, buf);
+			history(hist, &he, H_ENTER, buf);
 		}
 #endif /* !SMALL */
 
diff --git a/usr.bin/ftp/util.c b/usr.bin/ftp/util.c
index 687a84c7de58..00bb9d2704dd 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ftp/util.c
+++ b/usr.bin/ftp/util.c
@@ -839,9 +839,10 @@ void
 controlediting()
 {
 	if (editing && el == NULL && hist == NULL) {
-		el = el_init(__progname, stdin, stdout); /* init editline */
+		/* init editline */
+		el = el_init(__progname, stdin, stdout, stderr);
 		hist = history_init();		/* init the builtin history */
-		history(hist, H_EVENT, 100);	/* remember 100 events */
+		history(hist, &he, H_EVENT, 100);     /* remember 100 events */
 		el_set(el, EL_HIST, history, hist);	/* use history */
 
 		el_set(el, EL_EDITOR, "emacs");	/* default editor is emacs */