diff --git a/Modules/readline.c b/Modules/readline.c
--- a/Modules/readline.c
+++ b/Modules/readline.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
  */
 static int using_libedit_emulation = 0;
 static const char libedit_version_tag[] = "EditLine wrapper";
+
+static int libedit_history_start = 0;
 #endif /* __APPLE__ */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_RL_COMPLETION_DISPLAY_MATCHES_HOOK
@@ -579,21 +581,21 @@
         return NULL;
 #ifdef  __APPLE__
     if (using_libedit_emulation) {
-        /* Libedit emulation uses 0-based indexes,
-         * the real one uses 1-based indexes,
-         * adjust the index to ensure that Python
-         * code doesn't have to worry about the
-         * difference.
+        /* Older version's of libedit's readline emulation
+         * use 0-based indexes, while readline and newer
+         * versions of libedit use 1-based indexes.
          */
         int length = _py_get_history_length();
-        idx --;
+
+        idx = idx - 1 + libedit_history_start;
 
         /*
          * Apple's readline emulation crashes when
          * the index is out of range, therefore
          * test for that and fail gracefully.
          */
-        if (idx < 0 || idx >= length) {
+        if (idx < (0 + libedit_history_start)
+                || idx >= (length + libedit_history_start)) {
             Py_RETURN_NONE;
         }
     }
@@ -908,6 +910,17 @@
      */
     if (using_libedit_emulation)
         rl_initialize();
+
+    /* Detect if libedit's readline emulation uses 0-based
+     * indexing or 1-based indexing.
+     */
+    add_history("1");
+    if (history_get(1) == NULL) {
+        libedit_history_start = 0;
+    } else {
+        libedit_history_start = 1;
+    }
+    clear_history();
 #endif /* __APPLE__ */
 
     using_history();