diff --git a/kernel/driver.cc b/kernel/driver.cc
index c779611e0..c1995e7f7 100644
--- a/kernel/driver.cc
+++ b/kernel/driver.cc
@@ -244,7 +244,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	bool mode_q = false;
 
 #if defined(YOSYS_ENABLE_READLINE) || defined(YOSYS_ENABLE_EDITLINE)
-	if (getenv("HOME") != NULL) {
+	if (getenv("XDG_DATA_HOME") != NULL && getenv("XDG_DATA_HOME")[0] != '\0') {
+		yosys_history_file = stringf("%s/yosys/.yosys_history", getenv("XDG_DATA_HOME"));
+		read_history(yosys_history_file.c_str());
+		yosys_history_offset = where_history();
+	} else if (getenv("HOME") != NULL) {
 		yosys_history_file = stringf("%s/.yosys_history", getenv("HOME"));
 		read_history(yosys_history_file.c_str());
 		yosys_history_offset = where_history();