diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6ac429d..7454b2a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Support for bindings with the Alt modifier.
 - Zoxide support with `:z`.
 - Hide local timezone with `send-as-utc = true` in `accounts.conf`.
+- Persistent command history in `~/.cache/aerc/history`.
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/commands/history.go b/commands/history.go
index 1c0a1ec..5cc0bfb 100644
--- a/commands/history.go
+++ b/commands/history.go
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 package commands
 
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"sync"
+
+	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/logging"
+	"github.com/kyoh86/xdg"
+)
+
 type cmdHistory struct {
 	// rolling buffer of prior commands
 	//
@@ -9,6 +22,10 @@ type cmdHistory struct {
 
 	// current placement in list
 	current int
+
+	// initialize history storage
+	initHistfile sync.Once
+	histfile     io.ReadWriter
 }
 
 // number of commands to keep in history
@@ -18,6 +35,8 @@ const cmdLimit = 1000
 var CmdHistory = cmdHistory{}
 
 func (h *cmdHistory) Add(cmd string) {
+	h.initHistfile.Do(h.initialize)
+
 	// if we're at cap, cut off the first element
 	if len(h.cmdList) >= cmdLimit {
 		h.cmdList = h.cmdList[1:]
@@ -25,6 +44,8 @@ func (h *cmdHistory) Add(cmd string) {
 
 	if len(h.cmdList) == 0 || h.cmdList[len(h.cmdList)-1] != cmd {
 		h.cmdList = append(h.cmdList, cmd)
+
+		h.writeHistory()
 	}
 
 	// whenever we add a new command, reset the current
@@ -36,6 +57,8 @@ func (h *cmdHistory) Add(cmd string) {
 // Since the list is reverse-order, this will return elements
 // increasingly towards index 0.
 func (h *cmdHistory) Prev() string {
+	h.initHistfile.Do(h.initialize)
+
 	if h.current <= 0 || len(h.cmdList) == 0 {
 		h.current = -1
 		return "(Already at beginning)"
@@ -49,6 +72,8 @@ func (h *cmdHistory) Prev() string {
 // Since the list is reverse-order, this will return elements
 // increasingly towards index len(cmdList).
 func (h *cmdHistory) Next() string {
+	h.initHistfile.Do(h.initialize)
+
 	if h.current >= len(h.cmdList)-1 || len(h.cmdList) == 0 {
 		h.current = len(h.cmdList)
 		return "(Already at end)"
@@ -62,3 +87,55 @@ func (h *cmdHistory) Next() string {
 func (h *cmdHistory) Reset() {
 	h.current = len(h.cmdList)
 }
+
+func (h *cmdHistory) initialize() {
+	var err error
+	openFlags := os.O_RDWR | os.O_EXCL
+
+	histPath := path.Join(xdg.CacheHome(), "aerc", "history")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(histPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		_ = os.MkdirAll(path.Join(xdg.CacheHome(), "aerc"), 0o700) // caught by OpenFile
+		openFlags |= os.O_CREATE
+	}
+
+	// O_EXCL to make sure that only one aerc writes to the file
+	h.histfile, err = os.OpenFile(
+		histPath,
+		openFlags,
+		0o600,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		logging.Errorf("failed to open history file: %v", err)
+		// basically mirror the old behavior
+		h.histfile = bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{})
+		return
+	}
+
+	s := bufio.NewScanner(h.histfile)
+
+	for s.Scan() {
+		h.cmdList = append(h.cmdList, s.Text())
+	}
+
+	h.Reset()
+}
+
+func (h *cmdHistory) writeHistory() {
+	if fh, ok := h.histfile.(*os.File); ok {
+		err := fh.Truncate(0)
+		if err != nil {
+			// if we can't delete it, don't break it.
+			return
+		}
+		_, err = fh.Seek(0, io.SeekStart)
+		if err != nil {
+			// if we can't delete it, don't break it.
+			return
+		}
+		for _, entry := range h.cmdList {
+			fmt.Fprintln(fh, entry)
+		}
+
+		fh.Sync() //nolint:errcheck // if your computer can't sync you're in bigger trouble
+	}
+}