diff --git a/extension.ts b/extension.ts
index 78eff41d9..fe46d29f0 100644
--- a/extension.ts
+++ b/extension.ts
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
     }
   }
 
-  CommandLine.SetHistoryDirPath(context.extensionPath);
+  CommandLine.LoadHistory();
 
   registerCommand(context, 'toggleVim', async () => {
     configuration.disableExt = !configuration.disableExt;
diff --git a/src/cmd_line/commandLine.ts b/src/cmd_line/commandLine.ts
index c8d67bd01..7e59bc2be 100644
--- a/src/cmd_line/commandLine.ts
+++ b/src/cmd_line/commandLine.ts
@@ -92,10 +92,13 @@ export class CommandLine {
     return cmd;
   }
 
-  public static SetHistoryDirPath(historyDirPath: string): void {
-    const path = require('path');
-    const filePath: string = path.join(historyDirPath, '.cmdline_history');
-    this._history.setFilePath(filePath);
-    this._history.load();
+  public static LoadHistory(): void {
+    util.getExternalExtensionDirPath().then(externalExtensionDirPath => {
+      const path = require('path');
+      const filePath: string = path.join(externalExtensionDirPath, '.cmdline_history');
+
+      this._history.setFilePath(filePath);
+      this._history.load();
+    });
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/util.ts b/src/util.ts
index 9d800a6e9..5575c2453 100644
--- a/src/util.ts
+++ b/src/util.ts
@@ -67,3 +67,22 @@ export async function allowVSCodeToPropagateCursorUpdatesAndReturnThem(
     x => new Range(Position.FromVSCodePosition(x.start), Position.FromVSCodePosition(x.end))
   );
 }
+
+export async function getExternalExtensionDirPath(): Promise<string> {
+  return new Promise<string>((resolve, reject) => {
+    const os = require('os');
+    const homeDir: string = os.homedir();
+    const path = require('path');
+    const extensionFolder = path.join(homeDir, '.VSCodeVim');
+    const fs = require('fs');
+
+    fs.mkdir(extensionFolder, 0o775, (err: any) => {
+      if (!err || err.code === 'EEXIST') {
+        resolve(extensionFolder);
+      } else {
+        console.log(err);
+        reject(err);
+      }
+    });
+  });
+}