Index: src/shell.c.in
==================================================================
--- src/shell.c.in
+++ src/shell.c.in
@@ -8856,11 +8856,11 @@
   }else{
     /* Run commands received from standard input
     */
     if( stdin_is_interactive ){
       char *zHome;
-      char *zHistory = 0;
+      char *zHistory;
       int nHistory;
       printf(
         "SQLite version %s %.19s\n" /*extra-version-info*/
         "Enter \".help\" for usage hints.\n",
         sqlite3_libversion(), sqlite3_sourceid()
@@ -8869,12 +8869,14 @@
         printf("Connected to a ");
         printBold("transient in-memory database");
         printf(".\nUse \".open FILENAME\" to reopen on a "
                "persistent database.\n");
       }
-      zHome = find_home_dir(0);
-      if( zHome ){
+      zHistory = getenv("SQLITE_HISTORY");
+      if( zHistory ){
+        zHistory = strdup(zHistory);
+      }else if( (zHome = find_home_dir(0))!=0 ){
         nHistory = strlen30(zHome) + 20;
         if( (zHistory = malloc(nHistory))!=0 ){
           sqlite3_snprintf(nHistory, zHistory,"%s/.sqlite_history", zHome);
         }
       }