diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index 75ccecc2..0a4ec97d 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -1739,10 +1739,10 @@ void context_wrap(const ParametersParser& parser, Context& context, StringView d
 
     auto& register_manager = RegisterManager::instance();
     auto make_register_restorer = [&](char c) {
-        return on_scope_end([&, c, save=register_manager[c].get(context) | gather<Vector<String>>()] {
+        return on_scope_end([&, c, save=register_manager[c].save(context)] {
             try
             {
-                RegisterManager::instance()[c].set(context, save);
+                RegisterManager::instance()[c].restore(context, save);
             }
             catch (runtime_error& err)
             {
@@ -2001,7 +2001,7 @@ const CommandDesc prompt_cmd = {
         CapturedShellContext sc{shell_context};
         context.input_handler().prompt(
             parser[0], initstr.str(), {}, context.faces()["Prompt"],
-            flags, std::move(completer),
+            flags, '_', std::move(completer),
             [=](StringView str, PromptEvent event, Context& context) mutable
             {
                 if ((event == PromptEvent::Abort and on_abort.empty()) or
diff --git a/src/context.cc b/src/context.cc
index 08a0b544..d969ffd0 100644
--- a/src/context.cc
+++ b/src/context.cc
@@ -239,11 +239,8 @@ void Context::end_edition()
 
 StringView Context::main_sel_register_value(StringView reg) const
 {
-    auto strings = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(*this);
     size_t index = m_selections ? (*m_selections).main_index() : 0;
-    if (strings.size() <= index)
-        index = strings.size() - 1;
-   return strings[index];
+    return RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get_main(*this, index);
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/input_handler.cc b/src/input_handler.cc
index 750ec1d4..5bda3324 100644
--- a/src/input_handler.cc
+++ b/src/input_handler.cc
@@ -751,11 +751,13 @@ class Prompt : public InputMode
 public:
     Prompt(InputHandler& input_handler, StringView prompt,
            String initstr, String emptystr, Face face, PromptFlags flags,
-           PromptCompleter completer, PromptCallback callback)
+           char history_register, PromptCompleter completer, PromptCallback callback)
         : InputMode(input_handler), m_callback(std::move(callback)), m_completer(std::move(completer)),
           m_prompt(prompt.str()), m_prompt_face(face),
           m_empty_text{std::move(emptystr)},
           m_line_editor{context().faces()}, m_flags(flags),
+          m_history{RegisterManager::instance()[history_register]},
+          m_current_history{m_history.get(context()).size()},
           m_auto_complete{context().options()["autocomplete"].get<AutoComplete>() & AutoComplete::Prompt},
           m_idle_timer{TimePoint::max(), context().flags() & Context::Flags::Draft ?
                            Timer::Callback{} : [this](Timer&) {
@@ -769,13 +771,11 @@ public:
                            context().hooks().run_hook(Hook::PromptIdle, "", context());
                        }}
     {
-        m_history_it = ms_history[m_prompt].end();
         m_line_editor.reset(std::move(initstr), m_empty_text);
     }
 
     void on_key(Key key) override
     {
-        History& history = ms_history[m_prompt];
         const String& line = m_line_editor.line();
 
         if (key == Key::Return)
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ public:
             }
 
             if (not context().history_disabled())
-                history_push(history, line);
+                history_push(line);
             context().print_status(DisplayLine{});
             if (context().has_client())
                 context().client().menu_hide();
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ public:
         else if (key == Key::Escape or key == ctrl('c'))
         {
             if (not context().history_disabled())
-                history_push(history, line);
+                history_push(line);
             context().print_status(DisplayLine{});
             if (context().has_client())
                 context().client().menu_hide();
@@ -853,22 +853,25 @@ public:
         }
         else if (key == Key::Up or key == ctrl('p'))
         {
-            if (m_history_it != history.begin())
+            if (m_current_history != 0)
             {
-                if (m_history_it == history.end())
+                auto history = m_history.get(context());
+                // The history register might have been mutated in the mean time
+                m_current_history = std::min(history.size(), m_current_history);
+                if (m_current_history == history.size())
                    m_prefix = line;
-                auto it = m_history_it;
+                auto index = m_current_history;
                 // search for the previous history entry matching typed prefix
                 do
                 {
-                    --it;
-                    if (prefix_match(*it, m_prefix))
+                    --index;
+                    if (prefix_match(history[index], m_prefix))
                     {
-                        m_history_it = it;
-                        m_line_editor.reset(*it, m_empty_text);
+                        m_current_history = index;
+                        m_line_editor.reset(history[index], m_empty_text);
                         break;
                     }
-                } while (it != history.begin());
+                } while (index != 0);
 
                 clear_completions();
                 m_refresh_completion_pending = true;
@@ -876,16 +879,19 @@ public:
         }
         else if (key == Key::Down or key == ctrl('n')) // next
         {
-            if (m_history_it != history.end())
+            auto history = m_history.get(context());
+            // The history register might have been mutated in the mean time
+            m_current_history = std::min(history.size(), m_current_history);
+            if (m_current_history < history.size())
             {
                 // search for the next history entry matching typed prefix
-                ++m_history_it;
-                while (m_history_it != history.end() and
-                       not prefix_match(*m_history_it, m_prefix))
-                    ++m_history_it;
+                ++m_current_history;
+                while (m_current_history != history.size() and
+                       not prefix_match(history[m_current_history], m_prefix))
+                    ++m_current_history;
 
-                if (m_history_it != history.end())
-                    m_line_editor.reset(*m_history_it, m_empty_text);
+                if (m_current_history != history.size())
+                    m_line_editor.reset(history[m_current_history], m_empty_text);
                 else
                     m_line_editor.reset(m_prefix, m_empty_text);
 
@@ -1089,27 +1095,22 @@ private:
     LineEditor     m_line_editor;
     bool           m_line_changed = false;
     PromptFlags    m_flags;
+    Register&      m_history;
+    size_t         m_current_history;
     bool           m_auto_complete;
     bool           m_refresh_completion_pending = true;
     Timer          m_idle_timer;
 
-    using History = Vector<String, MemoryDomain::History>;
-    static HashMap<String, History, MemoryDomain::History> ms_history;
-    History::iterator m_history_it;
-
-    void history_push(History& history, StringView entry)
+    void history_push(StringView entry)
     {
         if (entry.empty() or
             (m_flags & PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix and
              is_horizontal_blank(entry[0_byte])))
             return;
 
-        history.erase(std::remove(history.begin(), history.end(), entry),
-                      history.end());
-        history.push_back(entry.str());
+        m_history.set(context(), {entry.str()});
     }
 };
-HashMap<String, Prompt::History, MemoryDomain::History> Prompt::ms_history;
 
 class NextKey : public InputMode
 {
@@ -1592,11 +1593,12 @@ void InputHandler::repeat_last_insert()
 }
 
 void InputHandler::prompt(StringView prompt, String initstr, String emptystr,
-                          Face prompt_face, PromptFlags flags,
+                          Face prompt_face, PromptFlags flags, char history_register,
                           PromptCompleter completer, PromptCallback callback)
 {
     push_mode(new InputModes::Prompt(*this, prompt, std::move(initstr), std::move(emptystr),
-                                     prompt_face, flags, std::move(completer), std::move(callback)));
+                                     prompt_face, flags, history_register,
+                                     std::move(completer), std::move(callback)));
 }
 
 void InputHandler::set_prompt_face(Face prompt_face)
diff --git a/src/input_handler.hh b/src/input_handler.hh
index 0dc98b70..e9528a07 100644
--- a/src/input_handler.hh
+++ b/src/input_handler.hh
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public:
     // returns to normal mode after validation if callback does
     // not change the mode itself
     void prompt(StringView prompt, String initstr, String emptystr,
-                Face prompt_face, PromptFlags flags,
+                Face prompt_face, PromptFlags flags, char history_register,
                 PromptCompleter completer, PromptCallback callback);
     void set_prompt_face(Face prompt_face);
 
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index b4622aea..53df2492 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -280,9 +280,12 @@ void register_registers()
 {
     RegisterManager& register_manager = RegisterManager::instance();
 
-    for (auto c : "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz/\"|^@:")
+    for (auto c : StringView{"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz\"^@"})
         register_manager.add_register(c, std::make_unique<StaticRegister>());
 
+    for (auto c : StringView{"/|:\\"})
+        register_manager.add_register(c, std::make_unique<HistoryRegister>());
+
     using StringList = Vector<String, MemoryDomain::Registers>;
 
     register_manager.add_register('%', make_dyn_reg(
diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index 2fb66e49..51308e7c 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -456,6 +456,7 @@ void command(Context& context, EnvVarMap env_vars)
     context.input_handler().prompt(
         ":", {}, context.main_sel_register_value(':').str(),
         context.faces()["Prompt"], PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix,
+        ':',
         [](const Context& context, CompletionFlags flags,
            StringView cmd_line, ByteCount pos) {
                return CommandManager::instance().complete(context, flags, cmd_line, pos);
@@ -544,7 +545,7 @@ void pipe(Context& context, NormalParams)
     const char* prompt = replace ? "pipe:" : "pipe-to:";
     context.input_handler().prompt(
         prompt, {}, context.main_sel_register_value("|").str(), context.faces()["Prompt"],
-        PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix,
+        PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix, '|',
         shell_complete,
         [](StringView cmdline, PromptEvent event, Context& context)
         {
@@ -625,7 +626,7 @@ void insert_output(Context& context, NormalParams)
     const char* prompt = mode == InsertMode::Insert ? "insert-output:" : "append-output:";
     context.input_handler().prompt(
         prompt, {}, context.main_sel_register_value("|").str(), context.faces()["Prompt"],
-        PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix,
+        PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix, '|',
         shell_complete,
         [](StringView cmdline, PromptEvent event, Context& context)
         {
@@ -753,14 +754,15 @@ constexpr RegexCompileFlags direction_flags(RegexMode mode)
 }
 
 template<RegexMode mode = RegexMode::Forward, typename T>
-void regex_prompt(Context& context, String prompt, String default_regex, T func)
+void regex_prompt(Context& context, String prompt, char reg, T func)
 {
     static_assert(is_direction(mode));
     DisplayCoord position = context.has_window() ? context.window().position() : DisplayCoord{};
     SelectionList selections = context.selections();
+    auto default_regex = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get_main(context, context.selections().main_index());
     context.input_handler().prompt(
         std::move(prompt), {}, default_regex, context.faces()["Prompt"],
-        PromptFlags::Search,
+        PromptFlags::Search, reg,
         [](const Context& context, CompletionFlags, StringView regex, ByteCount pos) -> Completions {
             auto current_word = [](StringView s) {
                 auto it = s.end();
@@ -785,7 +787,7 @@ void regex_prompt(Context& context, String prompt, String default_regex, T func)
                        [&](auto&& m) { candidates.push_back(m.candidate().str()); return true; });
             return {(int)(word.begin() - regex.begin()), pos,  std::move(candidates) };
         },
-        [=](StringView str, PromptEvent event, Context& context) mutable {
+        [=, func=T(std::move(func))](StringView str, PromptEvent event, Context& context) mutable {
             try
             {
                 if (event != PromptEvent::Change and context.has_client())
@@ -879,16 +881,12 @@ void search(Context& context, NormalParams params)
     const char reg = to_lower(params.reg ? params.reg : '/');
     const int count = params.count;
 
-    auto reg_content = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(context);
-    Vector<String> saved_reg{reg_content.begin(), reg_content.end()};
-    const int main_index = std::min(context.selections().main_index(), saved_reg.size()-1);
-
-    regex_prompt<regex_mode>(context, prompt.str(), saved_reg[main_index],
-                 [reg, count, saved_reg]
+    regex_prompt<regex_mode>(context, prompt.str(), reg,
+                 [reg, count, saved_reg = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].save(context)]
                  (const Regex& regex, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
                      if (event == PromptEvent::Abort)
                      {
-                         RegisterManager::instance()[reg].set(context, saved_reg);
+                         RegisterManager::instance()[reg].restore(context, saved_reg);
                          return;
                      }
                      RegisterManager::instance()[reg].set(context, regex.str());
@@ -907,7 +905,7 @@ template<SelectMode mode, RegexMode regex_mode>
 void search_next(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 {
     const char reg = to_lower(params.reg ? params.reg : '/');
-    StringView str = context.main_sel_register_value(reg);
+    StringView str = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(context).back();
     if (not str.empty())
     {
         Regex regex{str, direction_flags(regex_mode)};
@@ -942,25 +940,21 @@ void search_next(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 template<bool smart>
 void use_selection_as_search_pattern(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 {
-    Vector<String> patterns;
-    auto& sels = context.selections();
     const auto& buffer = context.buffer();
-    for (auto& sel : sels)
-    {
-        const auto beg = sel.min(), end = buffer.char_next(sel.max());
-        patterns.push_back(format("{}{}{}",
-                                  smart and is_bow(buffer, beg) ? "\\b" : "",
-                                  escape(buffer.string(beg, end), "^$\\.*+?()[]{}|", '\\'),
-                                  smart and is_eow(buffer, end) ? "\\b" : ""));
-    }
+    auto& sel = context.selections().main();
+    const auto beg = sel.min(), end = buffer.char_next(sel.max());
+    String pattern = format("{}{}{}",
+                            smart and is_bow(buffer, beg) ? "\\b" : "",
+                            escape(buffer.string(beg, end), "^$\\.*+?()[]{}|", '\\'),
+                            smart and is_eow(buffer, end) ? "\\b" : "");
 
     const char reg = to_lower(params.reg ? params.reg : '/');
 
     context.print_status({
-        format("register '{}' set to '{}'", reg, fix_atom_text(patterns[sels.main_index()])),
+        format("register '{}' set to '{}'", reg, fix_atom_text(pattern)),
         context.faces()["Information"] });
 
-    RegisterManager::instance()[reg].set(context, patterns);
+    RegisterManager::instance()[reg].set(context, {pattern});
 
     // Hack, as Window do not take register state into account
     if (context.has_window())
@@ -973,15 +967,12 @@ void select_regex(Context& context, NormalParams params)
     const int capture = params.count;
     auto prompt = capture ? format("select (capture {}):", capture) :  "select:"_str;
 
-    auto reg_content = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(context);
-    Vector<String> saved_reg{reg_content.begin(), reg_content.end()};
-    const int main_index = std::min(context.selections().main_index(), saved_reg.size()-1);
-
-    regex_prompt(context, std::move(prompt), saved_reg[main_index],
-                 [reg, capture, saved_reg](Regex ex, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
+    regex_prompt(context, std::move(prompt), reg,
+                 [reg, capture, saved_reg = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].save(context)]
+                 (Regex ex, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
          if (event == PromptEvent::Abort)
          {
-             RegisterManager::instance()[reg].set(context, saved_reg);
+             RegisterManager::instance()[reg].restore(context, saved_reg);
              return;
          }
 
@@ -1000,15 +991,12 @@ void split_regex(Context& context, NormalParams params)
     const int capture = params.count;
     auto prompt = capture ? format("split (on capture {}):", (int)capture) :  "split:"_str;
 
-    auto reg_content = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(context);
-    Vector<String> saved_reg{reg_content.begin(), reg_content.end()};
-    const int main_index = std::min(context.selections().main_index(), saved_reg.size()-1);
-
-    regex_prompt(context, std::move(prompt), saved_reg[main_index],
-                 [reg, capture, saved_reg](Regex ex, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
+    regex_prompt(context, std::move(prompt), reg,
+                 [reg, capture, saved_reg = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].save(context)]
+                 (Regex ex, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
          if (event == PromptEvent::Abort)
          {
-             RegisterManager::instance()[reg].set(context, saved_reg);
+             RegisterManager::instance()[reg].restore(context, saved_reg);
              return;
          }
 
@@ -1102,16 +1090,13 @@ void keep(Context& context, NormalParams params)
     constexpr StringView prompt = matching ? "keep matching:" : "keep not matching:";
 
     const char reg = to_lower(params.reg ? params.reg : '/');
-    auto saved_reg = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].get(context) | gather<Vector<String>>();
-    const int main_index = std::min(context.selections().main_index(), saved_reg.size()-1);
 
-    regex_prompt(context, prompt.str(), saved_reg[main_index],
-                 [saved_reg, reg]
+    regex_prompt(context, prompt.str(), reg,
+                 [reg, saved_reg = RegisterManager::instance()[reg].save(context)]
                  (const Regex& regex, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
-
         if (event == PromptEvent::Abort)
         {
-            RegisterManager::instance()[reg].set(context, saved_reg);
+            RegisterManager::instance()[reg].restore(context, saved_reg);
             return;
         }
         if (not context.history_disabled())
@@ -1144,7 +1129,7 @@ void keep_pipe(Context& context, NormalParams)
 {
     context.input_handler().prompt(
         "keep pipe:", {}, {}, context.faces()["Prompt"],
-        PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix, shell_complete,
+        PromptFlags::DropHistoryEntriesWithBlankPrefix, '|', shell_complete,
         [](StringView cmdline, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
             if (event != PromptEvent::Validate)
                 return;
@@ -1301,7 +1286,7 @@ void select_object(Context& context, NormalParams params)
 
             context.input_handler().prompt(
                 "object desc:", {}, {}, context.faces()["Prompt"],
-                PromptFlags::None, complete_nothing,
+                PromptFlags::None, '_', complete_nothing,
                 [count,info](StringView cmdline, PromptEvent event, Context& context) {
                     if (event != PromptEvent::Change)
                         hide_auto_info_ifn(context, info);
diff --git a/src/register_manager.hh b/src/register_manager.hh
index 4337f257..c463ad3a 100644
--- a/src/register_manager.hh
+++ b/src/register_manager.hh
@@ -20,6 +20,15 @@ public:
 
     virtual void set(Context& context, ConstArrayView<String> values) = 0;
     virtual ConstArrayView<String> get(const Context& context) = 0;
+    virtual const String& get_main(const Context& context, size_t main_index) = 0;
+
+    struct RestoreInfo
+    {
+        std::vector<String> data;
+        size_t size;
+    };
+    virtual RestoreInfo save(const Context&) = 0;
+    virtual void restore(Context&, const RestoreInfo&) = 0;
 };
 
 // static value register, which can be modified
@@ -39,6 +48,25 @@ public:
         else
             return ConstArrayView<String>(m_content);
     }
+
+    const String& get_main(const Context& context, size_t main_index) override
+    {
+        return get(context)[std::min(main_index, m_content.size() - 1)];
+    }
+
+    RestoreInfo save(const Context& context) override
+    {
+        //std::unique_ptr<String[]> data{new String[m_content.size()]};
+        //std::copy_n(m_content.data(), m_content.size(), data.get());
+        auto content = get(context);
+        std::vector<String> data{content.begin(), content.end()};
+        return {std::move(data), content.size()};
+    }
+
+    void restore(Context&, const RestoreInfo& info) override
+    {
+        m_content.assign(info.data.begin(), info.data.begin() + info.size);
+    }
 protected:
     Vector<String, MemoryDomain::Registers> m_content;
 };
@@ -63,11 +91,47 @@ public:
         return StaticRegister::get(context);
     }
 
+    void restore(Context& context, const RestoreInfo& info) override
+    {
+        set(context, info.data);
+    }
+
 private:
     Getter m_getter;
     Setter m_setter;
 };
 
+// Register that is used to store some kind prompt history
+class HistoryRegister : public StaticRegister
+{
+public:
+    void set(Context&, ConstArrayView<String> values) override
+    {
+        for (auto& entry : values)
+        {
+            m_content.erase(std::remove(m_content.begin(), m_content.end(), entry),
+                          m_content.end());
+            m_content.push_back(entry);
+        }
+    }
+
+    const String& get_main(const Context&, size_t) override
+    {
+        return m_content.empty() ? String::ms_empty : m_content.back();
+    }
+
+    RestoreInfo save(const Context&) override
+    {
+        return {{}, m_content.size()};
+    }
+
+    void restore(Context&, const RestoreInfo& info) override
+    {
+        if (info.size < m_content.size())
+            m_content.resize(info.size);
+    }
+};
+
 template<typename Func>
 std::unique_ptr<Register> make_dyn_reg(Func func)
 {
@@ -93,6 +157,14 @@ public:
     {
         return ConstArrayView<String>(String::ms_empty);
     }
+
+    const String& get_main(const Context&, size_t) override
+    {
+        return String::ms_empty;
+    }
+
+    RestoreInfo save(const Context&) override { return {}; }
+    void restore(Context&, const RestoreInfo& info) override {}
 };
 
 class RegisterManager : public Singleton<RegisterManager>