diff --git a/aql2/src/aql.cpp b/aql2/src/aql.cpp
index 302cc3fb41f2ea29ac6d69fdf4d6b1173016b1b6..7d2fbc35d88d4cbb7b5a5c4dd83bb1cb433a4a41 100644
--- a/aql2/src/aql.cpp
+++ b/aql2/src/aql.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,11 @@ int main ( int argc, char * argv[] ) {
 		exceptions.push_back ( exception.error ( ) );
 	} );
 
-	ReadlinePromptHistory historyHandler ( std::string ( std::getenv ( "HOME" ) ) + "/.aql_history" );
+	const char* envHome = std::getenv ( "HOME" );
+	std::unique_ptr < ReadlinePromptHistory > historyHandler;
+	if ( envHome != nullptr ) {
+		historyHandler = std::make_unique < ReadlinePromptHistory > ( std::string ( envHome ) + "/.aql_history" );
+	}
 
 	try {