diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
index a6ee7f05d..5b62d5ca4 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/prompt.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub struct Prompt {
     selection: Option<usize>,
     history_register: Option<char>,
     history_pos: Option<usize>,
+    history_substring: Option<String>,
     completion_fn: CompletionFn,
     callback_fn: CallbackFn,
     pub doc_fn: DocFn,
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ impl Prompt {
             selection: None,
             history_register,
             history_pos: None,
+            history_substring: None,
             completion_fn: Box::new(completion_fn),
             callback_fn: Box::new(callback_fn),
             doc_fn: Box::new(|_| None),
@@ -96,6 +98,7 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.line = line;
         self.cursor = cursor;
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
         self
     }
 
@@ -232,12 +235,14 @@ impl Prompt {
             self.cursor = pos;
         }
         self.recalculate_completion(cx.editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn insert_str(&mut self, s: &str, editor: &Editor) {
         self.line.insert_str(self.cursor, s);
         self.cursor += s.len();
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn move_cursor(&mut self, movement: Movement) {
@@ -259,6 +264,7 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.cursor = pos;
 
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn delete_char_forwards(&mut self, editor: &Editor) {
@@ -266,6 +272,7 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.line.replace_range(self.cursor..pos, "");
 
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn delete_word_backwards(&mut self, editor: &Editor) {
@@ -274,6 +281,7 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.cursor = pos;
 
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn delete_word_forwards(&mut self, editor: &Editor) {
@@ -281,6 +289,7 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.line.replace_range(self.cursor..pos, "");
 
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn kill_to_start_of_line(&mut self, editor: &Editor) {
@@ -289,6 +298,7 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.cursor = pos;
 
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn kill_to_end_of_line(&mut self, editor: &Editor) {
@@ -296,12 +306,19 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.line.replace_range(self.cursor..pos, "");
 
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn clear(&mut self, editor: &Editor) {
         self.line.clear();
         self.cursor = 0;
         self.recalculate_completion(editor);
+        self.reset_history();
+    }
+
+    pub fn reset_history(&mut self) {
+        self.history_pos = None;
+        self.history_substring = None;
     }
 
     pub fn change_history(
@@ -312,11 +329,15 @@ impl Prompt {
     ) {
         (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Abort);
         let mut values = match cx.editor.registers.read(register, cx.editor) {
-            Some(values) if values.len() > 0 => values.rev(),
+            Some(values) if values.len() > 0 => values.rev().enumerate(),
             _ => return,
         };
 
-        let end = values.len().saturating_sub(1);
+        // Using `history_pos` as the trigger so that we only consider updating
+        // the substring to match on when entering history
+        if self.history_pos.is_none() && !self.line.is_empty() {
+            self.history_substring = Some(self.line.clone())
+        }
 
         let index = match direction {
             CompletionDirection::Forward => self.history_pos.map_or(0, |i| i + 1),
@@ -324,18 +345,41 @@ impl Prompt {
                 .history_pos
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| values.len())
                 .saturating_sub(1),
-        }
-        .min(end);
+        };
+
+        let history_line = if let Some(substr) = self.history_substring.as_ref() {
+            match direction {
+                CompletionDirection::Forward => {
+                    if index > 0 {
+                        // Same as skip but without taking ownership
+                        let _ = values.nth(index - 1);
+                    }
+                    values.find(|prev| prev.1.find(substr).is_some())
+                }
+                CompletionDirection::Backward => {
+                    let r_index = values.len() - 1 - index;
+                    if r_index > 0 {
+                        // Same as skip but without taking ownership
+                        let _ = values.nth_back(r_index - 1);
+                    }
+                    values.rfind(|prev| prev.1.find(substr).is_some())
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            values.nth(index)
+        };
 
-        self.line = values.nth(index).unwrap().to_string();
-        // Appease the borrow checker.
-        drop(values);
+        if let Some((index, line)) = history_line {
+            self.line = line.to_string();
+            // Appease the borrow checker.
+            drop(values);
 
-        self.history_pos = Some(index);
+            self.history_pos = Some(index);
 
-        self.move_end();
-        (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
-        self.recalculate_completion(cx.editor);
+            self.move_end();
+            (self.callback_fn)(cx, &self.line, PromptEvent::Update);
+            self.recalculate_completion(cx.editor);
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn change_completion_selection(&mut self, direction: CompletionDirection) {
@@ -357,6 +401,7 @@ impl Prompt {
         self.line.replace_range(range.clone(), item);
 
         self.move_end();
+        self.reset_history();
     }
 
     pub fn exit_selection(&mut self) {
@@ -492,6 +537,28 @@ impl Prompt {
             )
             .into();
             text.render(line_area, surface, cx);
+        } else if let Some((pre, substr, post)) =
+            self.history_substring.as_ref().and_then(|substr| {
+                self.line
+                    .split_once(substr)
+                    .map(|(pre, post)| (pre, substr, post))
+            })
+        {
+            surface.set_string(line_area.x, line_area.y, pre, prompt_color);
+
+            surface.set_string(
+                line_area.x + pre.len() as u16,
+                line_area.y,
+                substr,
+                selected_color,
+            );
+
+            surface.set_string(
+                line_area.x + (pre.len() + substr.len()) as u16,
+                line_area.y,
+                post,
+                prompt_color,
+            );
         } else {
             surface.set_string(line_area.x, line_area.y, self.line.clone(), prompt_color);
         }
diff --git a/helix-term/tests/test/prompt.rs b/helix-term/tests/test/prompt.rs
index 4f3bf7632..911cac478 100644
--- a/helix-term/tests/test/prompt.rs
+++ b/helix-term/tests/test/prompt.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use super::*;
 async fn test_history_completion() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     test_key_sequence(
         &mut AppBuilder::new().build()?,
-        Some(":asdf<ret>:theme d<C-n><tab>"),
+        Some(":asdf<ret>:<C-n><tab>"),
         Some(&|app| {
             assert!(!app.editor.is_err());
         }),