diff --git a/Doc/lib/libreadline.tex b/Doc/lib/libreadline.tex
index d428594973f..17b48c521bd 100644
--- a/Doc/lib/libreadline.tex
+++ b/Doc/lib/libreadline.tex
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ Save a readline history file.
 The default filename is \file{\~{}/.history}.
 \end{funcdesc}
 
+\begin{funcdesc}{clear_history}{}
+Clear the current history.  (Note: this function is not available if
+the installed version of GNU readline doesn't support it.)
+\versionadded{2.4}
+\end{funcdesc}
+
 \begin{funcdesc}{get_history_length}{}
 Return the desired length of the history file.  Negative values imply
 unlimited history file size.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 2f0aec87a31..9bfd738a1ff 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ Core and builtins
 Extension modules
 -----------------
 
+- readline.clear_history was added.
+
 - select.select() now accepts sequences for its first three arguments.
 
 - cStringIO now supports the f.closed attribute.
diff --git a/Modules/readline.c b/Modules/readline.c
index 64935c6efef..5053d1cc716 100644
--- a/Modules/readline.c
+++ b/Modules/readline.c
@@ -412,6 +412,24 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(doc_get_line_buffer,
 return the current contents of the line buffer.");
 
 
+#ifdef HAVE_RL_COMPLETION_APPEND_CHARACTER
+
+/* Exported function to clear the current history */
+
+static PyObject *
+py_clear_history(PyObject *self, PyObject *noarg)
+{
+	clear_history();
+	Py_INCREF(Py_None);
+	return Py_None;
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(doc_clear_history,
+"clear_history() -> None\n\
+Clear the current readline history.");
+#endif
+
+
 /* Exported function to insert text into the line buffer */
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -483,6 +501,9 @@ static struct PyMethodDef readline_methods[] =
 #ifdef HAVE_RL_PRE_INPUT_HOOK
 	{"set_pre_input_hook", set_pre_input_hook,
 	 METH_VARARGS, doc_set_pre_input_hook},
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_RL_COMPLETION_APPEND_CHARACTER
+	{"clear_history", py_clear_history, METH_NOARGS, doc_clear_history},
 #endif
 	{0, 0}
 };