diff --git a/history.cc b/history.cc
index 999c6b94..b90d5959 100644
--- a/history.cc
+++ b/history.cc
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void History::addItem( Item const & item )
   if( !enabled() )
     return;
 
-  if ( item.word.size() > 60 || item.word.isEmpty() )
+  if ( item.word.size() > MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH || item.word.isEmpty() )
   {
     // The search looks bogus. Don't save it.
     return;
diff --git a/history.hh b/history.hh
index a46a4a5f..76e0cd51 100644
--- a/history.hh
+++ b/history.hh
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #include <QList>
 #include <QString>
 
+#define MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH 60
+
 /// Search history
 class History: public QObject
 {
@@ -74,6 +76,9 @@ public:
   bool enabled()
   { return addingEnabled; }
 
+  unsigned getMaxSize()
+  { return maxSize; }
+
 signals:
 
   /// Signals the changes in items in response to addItem() or clear().
diff --git a/mainwindow.cc b/mainwindow.cc
index e2ccce0f..a26eb24b 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cc
+++ b/mainwindow.cc
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <map>
 #include "dprintf.hh"
 #include <QDebug>
+#include <QTextStream>
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
 #include "lionsupport.h"
@@ -2652,9 +2653,11 @@ static bool needHideSearchPane;
         ui.wordList->clear();
 
         history.enableAdd( true );
+        ui.importHistory->setDisabled( false );
     }
     else
     {
+        ui.importHistory->setDisabled( true );
         history.enableAdd( false );
 
         disconnect( ui.translateLine, SIGNAL( textChanged( QString const & ) ),
@@ -2740,7 +2743,65 @@ void MainWindow::on_exportHistory_activated()
         mainStatusBar->showMessage( tr( "History export complete" ), 5000 );
         return;
     }
-    QString errStr = QString( tr( "Export error: ") ) + file.errorString();
+    QString errStr = QString( tr( "Export error: " ) ) + file.errorString();
     file.close();
     mainStatusBar->showMessage( errStr, 10000, QPixmap( ":/icons/error.png" ) );
 }
+
+void MainWindow::on_importHistory_activated()
+{
+    QString fileName = QFileDialog::getOpenFileName( this, tr( "Import history from file" ),
+                                                     QDir::homePath(),
+                                                     tr( "Text files (*.txt);;All files (*.*)" ) );
+    if( fileName.size() == 0)
+        return;
+
+    QString errStr;
+    QFile file( fileName );
+
+    for(;;)
+    {
+        if ( !file.open( QFile::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text ) )
+          break;
+
+        QTextStream fileStream( & file );
+        QString itemStr, trimmedStr;
+        QList< QString > itemList;
+
+        history.clear();
+
+        do
+        {
+            itemStr = fileStream.readLine();
+            if( fileStream.status() >= QTextStream::ReadCorruptData )
+                break;
+
+            trimmedStr = itemStr.trimmed();
+            if( trimmedStr.isEmpty() )
+                continue;
+
+            if( trimmedStr.size() <= MAX_HISTORY_ITEM_LENGTH )
+                itemList.prepend( trimmedStr );
+
+        } while( !fileStream.atEnd() && itemList.size() < (int)history.getMaxSize() );
+
+        for( QList< QString >::const_iterator i = itemList.constBegin(); i != itemList.constEnd(); ++i )
+            history.addItem( History::Item( 1, *i ) );
+
+        if( file.error() != QFile::NoError )
+            break;
+
+        if( fileStream.status() >= QTextStream::ReadCorruptData )
+        {
+            errStr = QString ( tr( "Import error: invalid data in file" ) );
+            mainStatusBar->showMessage( errStr, 10000, QPixmap( ":/icons/error.png" ) );
+        }
+        else
+            mainStatusBar->showMessage( tr( "History import complete" ), 5000 );
+        return;
+    }
+    errStr = QString( tr( "Import error: " ) ) + file.errorString();
+    file.close();
+    mainStatusBar->showMessage( errStr, 10000, QPixmap( ":/icons/error.png" ) );
+}
+
diff --git a/mainwindow.hh b/mainwindow.hh
index 7ac16064..0f64c279 100644
--- a/mainwindow.hh
+++ b/mainwindow.hh
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ private slots:
 
   void on_showHideHistory_activated();
   void on_exportHistory_activated();
+  void on_importHistory_activated();
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/mainwindow.ui b/mainwindow.ui
index caaf4630..a594a269 100644
--- a/mainwindow.ui
+++ b/mainwindow.ui
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@
     </property>
     <addaction name="showHideHistory"/>
     <addaction name="exportHistory"/>
+    <addaction name="importHistory"/>
     <addaction name="separator"/>
     <addaction name="clearHistory"/>
    </widget>
@@ -426,6 +427,11 @@
     <string>&amp;Export</string>
    </property>
   </action>
+  <action name="importHistory">
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>&amp;Import</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
  </widget>
  <customwidgets>
   <customwidget>