diff --git a/doc_src/history.txt b/doc_src/history.txt
index 704c13cf7..a7456d837 100644
--- a/doc_src/history.txt
+++ b/doc_src/history.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 \subsection history-synopsis Synopsis
 \fish{synopsis}
-history search [ --show-time ] [ --exact | --prefix | --contains ] [ "search string"... ]
+history search [ --show-time ] [ --exact | --prefix | --contains ] [ --max=n ] [ "search string"... ]
 history delete [ --show-time ] [ --exact | --prefix | --contains ] "search string"...
 history merge
 history save
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ The following operations (sub-commands) are available:
 
 The following options are available:
 
-These flags can appear before or immediately after on of the sub-commands listed above.
+These flags can appear before or immediately after one of the sub-commands listed above.
 
 - `-c` or `--contains` searches or deletes items in the history that contain the specified text string. This is the default for the `--search` flag. This is not currently supported by the `--delete` flag.
 
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ These flags can appear before or immediately after on of the sub-commands listed
 
 - `-t` or `--show-time` prepends each history entry with the date and time the entry was recorded . By default it uses the strftime format `# %c%n`. You can specify another format; e.g., `--show-time='%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S '` or `--show-time='%a%I%p'`. The short option, `-t` doesn't accept a stftime format string; it only uses the default format. Any strftime format is allowed, including `%s` to get the raw UNIX seconds since the epoch. Note that `--with-time` is also allowed but is deprecated and will be removed at a future date.
 
+- `-<number>` `-n <number>` or `--max=<number>` limits the matched history items to the first "n" matching entries. This is only valid for `history search`.
+
 - `-h` or `--help` display help for this command.
 
 \subsection history-examples Example
diff --git a/share/completions/history.fish b/share/completions/history.fish
index 6899da03f..f4d9b9114 100644
--- a/share/completions/history.fish
+++ b/share/completions/history.fish
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ complete -c history -n '__fish_seen_subcommand_from search delete' \
     -s e -l exact -d "Match items identical to the string"
 complete -c history -n '__fish_seen_subcommand_from search delete' \
     -s t -l show-time -d "Output with timestamps"
+complete -c history -n '__fish_seen_subcommand_from search' \
+    -s n -l max -d "Limit output to the first 'n' matches"
 
 # We don't include a completion for the "save" subcommand because it should not be used
 # interactively.
diff --git a/share/functions/history.fish b/share/functions/history.fish
index 6bf228e14..c3dca2b22 100644
--- a/share/functions/history.fish
+++ b/share/functions/history.fish
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ function history --description "display or manipulate interactive command histor
     set -l hist_cmd
     set -l search_mode
     set -l show_time
+    set -l max_count
 
     # Check for a recognized subcommand as the first argument.
     if set -q argv[1]
@@ -78,11 +79,24 @@ function history --description "display or manipulate interactive command histor
                 set search_mode --contains
             case -e --exact
                 set search_mode --exact
+            case -n --max
+                if string match -- '-n?*' $argv[1]
+                    or string match -- '--max=*' $argv[1]
+                    set max_count $argv[1]
+                else
+                    set max_count $argv[1] $argv[2]
+                    set -e argv[1]
+                end
             case --
                 set -e argv[1]
                 break
             case '*'
-                break
+                if string match -r -- '-\d+' $argv[1]
+                    set max_count $argv[1]
+                    set -e argv[1]
+                else
+                    break
+                end
         end
         set -e argv[1]
     end
@@ -107,13 +121,14 @@ function history --description "display or manipulate interactive command histor
             test -z "$search_mode"
             and set search_mode "--contains"
 
+            echo "builtin history search $search_mode $show_time $max_count -- $argv" >>/tmp/x
             if isatty stdout
                 set -l pager less
                 set -q PAGER
                 and set pager $PAGER
-                builtin history search $search_mode $show_time -- $argv | eval $pager
+                builtin history search $search_mode $show_time $max_count -- $argv | eval $pager
             else
-                builtin history search $search_mode $show_time -- $argv
+                builtin history search $search_mode $show_time $max_count -- $argv
             end
 
         case delete # interactively delete history
diff --git a/src/builtin.cpp b/src/builtin.cpp
index e0eb05643..9ba131622 100644
--- a/src/builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin.cpp
@@ -2846,18 +2846,20 @@ static int builtin_history(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **ar
     int argc = builtin_count_args(argv);
     hist_cmd_t hist_cmd = HIST_NOOP;
     history_search_type_t search_type = (history_search_type_t)-1;
+    long max_items = LONG_MAX;
     bool history_search_type_defined = false;
     const wchar_t *show_time_format = NULL;
 
     // TODO: Remove the long options that correspond to subcommands (e.g., '--delete') on or after
     // 2017-10 (which will be a full year after these flags have been deprecated).
-    const wchar_t *short_options = L":mepcht";
+    const wchar_t *short_options = L":mn:epcht";
     const struct woption long_options[] = {{L"prefix", no_argument, NULL, 'p'},
                                            {L"contains", no_argument, NULL, 'c'},
                                            {L"help", no_argument, NULL, 'h'},
                                            {L"show-time", optional_argument, NULL, 't'},
                                            {L"with-time", optional_argument, NULL, 't'},
                                            {L"exact", no_argument, NULL, 'e'},
+                                           {L"max", required_argument, NULL, 'n'},
                                            {L"delete", no_argument, NULL, 1},
                                            {L"search", no_argument, NULL, 2},
                                            {L"save", no_argument, NULL, 3},
@@ -2923,6 +2925,17 @@ static int builtin_history(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **ar
                 show_time_format = w.woptarg ? w.woptarg : L"# %c%n";
                 break;
             }
+            case 'n': {
+                wchar_t *end = 0;
+                max_items = wcstol(w.woptarg, &end, 10);
+                if (!(*w.woptarg != L'\0' && *end == L'\0')) {
+                    streams.err.append_format(
+                        _(L"%ls: max value '%ls' is not a valid number\n"), argv[0],
+                        w.woptarg);
+                    return STATUS_BUILTIN_ERROR;
+                }
+                break;
+            }
             case 'h': {
                 builtin_print_help(parser, streams, cmd, streams.out);
                 return STATUS_BUILTIN_OK;
@@ -2932,13 +2945,26 @@ static int builtin_history(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **ar
                 return STATUS_BUILTIN_ERROR;
             }
             case '?': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_UNKNOWN, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
-                return STATUS_BUILTIN_ERROR;
+                // Try to parse it as a number; e.g., "-123".
+                wchar_t *end = 0;
+                max_items = wcstol(argv[w.woptind - 1] + 1, &end, 10);
+                if (!(argv[w.woptind - 1][1] != L'\0' && *end == L'\0')) {
+                    streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_UNKNOWN, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                    return STATUS_BUILTIN_ERROR;
+                }
+                w.nextchar = NULL;
+                break;
             }
             default: { DIE("unexpected retval from wgetopt_long"); }
         }
     }
 
+    if (max_items <= 0) {
+        streams.err.append_format(_(L"%ls: max value '%ls' is not a valid number\n"), argv[0],
+                                  w.woptarg);
+        return STATUS_BUILTIN_ERROR;
+    }
+
     // If a history command hasn't already been specified via a flag check the first word.
     // Note that this can be simplified after we eliminate allowing subcommands as flags.
     // See the TODO above regarding the `long_options` array.
@@ -2963,7 +2989,7 @@ static int builtin_history(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **ar
     int status = STATUS_BUILTIN_OK;
     switch (hist_cmd) {
         case HIST_SEARCH: {
-            if (!history->search(search_type, args, show_time_format, streams)) {
+            if (!history->search(search_type, args, show_time_format, max_items, streams)) {
                 status = STATUS_BUILTIN_ERROR;
             }
             break;
diff --git a/src/history.cpp b/src/history.cpp
index 035309027..16c8fab26 100644
--- a/src/history.cpp
+++ b/src/history.cpp
@@ -1415,11 +1415,11 @@ static bool format_history_record(const history_item_t &item, const wchar_t *sho
 }
 
 bool history_t::search(history_search_type_t search_type, wcstring_list_t search_args,
-                       const wchar_t *show_time_format, io_streams_t &streams) {
+                       const wchar_t *show_time_format, long max_items, io_streams_t &streams) {
     // scoped_lock locker(lock);
     if (search_args.empty()) {
         // Start at one because zero is the current command.
-        for (int i = 1; !this->item_at_index(i).empty(); ++i) {
+        for (int i = 1; !this->item_at_index(i).empty() && max_items; ++i, --max_items) {
             if (!format_history_record(this->item_at_index(i), show_time_format, streams)) {
                 return false;
             }
@@ -1439,6 +1439,7 @@ bool history_t::search(history_search_type_t search_type, wcstring_list_t search
             if (!format_history_record(searcher.current_item(), show_time_format, streams)) {
                 return false;
             }
+            if (--max_items == 0) return true;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/history.h b/src/history.h
index c624d4658..db1e4615d 100644
--- a/src/history.h
+++ b/src/history.h
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ class history_t {
 
     // Searches history.
     bool search(history_search_type_t search_type, wcstring_list_t search_args,
-                const wchar_t *show_time_format, io_streams_t &streams);
+                const wchar_t *show_time_format, long max_items, io_streams_t &streams);
 
     // Enable / disable automatic saving. Main thread only!
     void disable_automatic_saving();