diff --git a/src/history.c b/src/history.c
index 0f80fbae..bfcb183c 100644
--- a/src/history.c
+++ b/src/history.c
@@ -145,30 +145,6 @@ void update_history(linestruct **item, const char *text)
 	*item = *hbot;
 }
 
-/* Move h to the string in the history list just before it, and return
- * that string.  If there isn't one, don't move h and return NULL. */
-char *get_history_older(linestruct **h)
-{
-	if ((*h)->prev == NULL)
-		return NULL;
-
-	*h = (*h)->prev;
-
-	return (*h)->data;
-}
-
-/* Move h to the string in the history list just after it, and return
- * that string.  If there isn't one, don't move h and return NULL. */
-char *get_history_newer(linestruct **h)
-{
-	if ((*h)->next == NULL)
-		return NULL;
-
-	*h = (*h)->next;
-
-	return (*h)->data;
-}
-
 /* Two empty placeholder functions. */
 void get_history_older_void(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/prompt.c b/src/prompt.c
index 04c606d6..ec50e18f 100644
--- a/src/prompt.c
+++ b/src/prompt.c
@@ -446,8 +446,6 @@ functionptrtype acquire_an_answer(int *actual, bool *listed,
 	bool finished;
 	functionptrtype func;
 #ifdef ENABLE_HISTORIES
-	char *history = NULL;
-		/* The current history string. */
 	char *magichistory = NULL;
 		/* The (partial) answer that was typed at the prompt, if any. */
 #ifdef ENABLE_TABCOMP
@@ -515,8 +513,9 @@ functionptrtype acquire_an_answer(int *actual, bool *listed,
 
 				/* Get the older search from the history list and save it in
 				 * answer.  If there is no older search, don't do anything. */
-				if ((history = get_history_older(history_list)) != NULL) {
-					answer = mallocstrcpy(answer, history);
+				if ((*history_list)->prev != NULL) {
+					*history_list = (*history_list)->prev;
+					answer = mallocstrcpy(answer, (*history_list)->data);
 					typing_x = strlen(answer);
 				}
 			}
@@ -524,8 +523,9 @@ functionptrtype acquire_an_answer(int *actual, bool *listed,
 			if (history_list != NULL) {
 				/* Get the newer search from the history list and save it in
 				 * answer.  If there is no newer search, don't do anything. */
-				if ((history = get_history_newer(history_list)) != NULL) {
-					answer = mallocstrcpy(answer, history);
+				if ((*history_list)->next != NULL) {
+					*history_list = (*history_list)->next;
+					answer = mallocstrcpy(answer, (*history_list)->data);
 					typing_x = strlen(answer);
 				}
 
diff --git a/src/prototypes.h b/src/prototypes.h
index adf2e78c..1b749142 100644
--- a/src/prototypes.h
+++ b/src/prototypes.h
@@ -336,8 +336,6 @@ void do_help(void);
 void history_init(void);
 void history_reset(const linestruct *list);
 void update_history(linestruct **item, const char *text);
-char *get_history_older(linestruct **h);
-char *get_history_newer(linestruct **h);
 void get_history_older_void(void);
 void get_history_newer_void(void);
 #ifdef ENABLE_TABCOMP