diff --git a/shell/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/shell/SqoopShell.java b/shell/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/shell/SqoopShell.java
index 7e4a7df3..4aabfccd 100644
--- a/shell/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/shell/SqoopShell.java
+++ b/shell/src/main/java/org/apache/sqoop/shell/SqoopShell.java
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 
+import jline.console.history.History;
+import jline.console.history.PersistentHistory;
+
 import org.apache.sqoop.shell.core.Constants;
 import org.apache.sqoop.shell.utils.ThrowableDisplayer;
 import org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.MethodClosure;
@@ -56,8 +59,8 @@ public final class SqoopShell {
 
   static {
     commandsToKeep = new HashSet<String>();
-    commandsToKeep.add("exit");
-    commandsToKeep.add("history");
+    commandsToKeep.add(":exit");
+    commandsToKeep.add(":history");
   }
 
   /**
@@ -68,11 +71,26 @@ public final class SqoopShell {
    */
   public static void main (String[] args) throws Exception {
     System.setProperty("groovysh.prompt", Constants.SQOOP_PROMPT);
-    Groovysh shell = new Groovysh();
+    final Groovysh shell = new Groovysh();
 
     // Install our error hook (exception handling)
     shell.setErrorHook(new MethodClosure(ThrowableDisplayer.class, "errorHook"));
 
+    // Install shutdown hook
+    Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook(new Thread() {
+      @Override
+      public void run() {
+        History history = shell.getRunner().getReader().getHistory();
+        if (history instanceof PersistentHistory) {
+          try {
+            ((PersistentHistory)history).flush();
+          } catch (IOException e) {
+            // Ignore this exception as it only affects history
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
     CommandRegistry registry = shell.getRegistry();
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     Iterator<Command> iterator = registry.iterator();