Index: trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/startup.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/startup.c	(revision 9195)
+++ trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/lib.shell/startup.c	(revision 9405)
@@ -57,11 +57,13 @@
 
     opihi_history = get_variable ("HISTORY");
-    f = fopen (opihi_history, "a");
-    if (f == NULL) /* no current history file here */
-      gprint (GP_ERR, "can't save history.\n");
-    else
-      fclose (f);
-    stifle_history (200);
-    read_history (opihi_history);
+    if (opihi_history && *opihi_history) {
+      f = fopen (opihi_history, "a");
+      if (f == NULL) /* no current history file here */
+	gprint (GP_ERR, "can't save history.\n");
+      else
+	fclose (f);
+      stifle_history (200);
+      read_history (opihi_history);
+    }
   }