diff --git a/janet.1 b/janet.1
index 6e03808c..ae64a316 100644
--- a/janet.1
+++ b/janet.1
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ Shows the version text and exits immediately.
 
 .TP
 .BR \-s
-Read raw input from stdin and forgo prompt history and other readline-like features.
+Read raw input from stdin and forgo fancy input, which includes prompt history and other readline-like features.
 
 .TP
 .BR \-e\ code
@@ -274,7 +274,8 @@ cannot be defined for this variable to have an effect.
 
 .B JANET_HISTFILE
 .RS
-A file location to use for the default shell's REPL history. This relative path is where commands are persisted between sessions.
+A file location to use for the default shell's REPL history when using fancy input. This relative path is where commands are persisted between sessions.
+If unset, no repl history well be used. Does not work with the -s flag where fancy input is disabled.
 .RE
 
 .B NO_COLOR
diff --git a/src/mainclient/shell.c b/src/mainclient/shell.c
index 4828c444..548728ba 100644
--- a/src/mainclient/shell.c
+++ b/src/mainclient/shell.c
@@ -437,20 +437,8 @@ static void calc_history_file(void) {
     if (hist) {
         gbl_history_file = sdup(hist);
     } else {
-        const char *home = (const char *) getenv("HOME");
-        if (NULL == home) home = "";
-        const char *filename = ".janet_history.jdn";
-        size_t homelen = strlen(home);
-        size_t filelen = strlen(filename);
-        size_t buflen = homelen + filelen + 1;
-        char *buffer = janet_malloc(buflen + 1);
-        if (homelen) memcpy(buffer, home, homelen);
-        buffer[homelen] = '/';
-        memcpy(buffer + homelen + 1, filename, filelen);
-        buffer[buflen] = '\0';
-        gbl_history_file = buffer;
+        gbl_history_file = NULL;
     }
-    /* fprintf(stderr, "history_file: %s\n", gbl_history_file); */
 }
 
 static void loadhistory(void) {