diff --git a/php/WP_CLI/REPL.php b/php/WP_CLI/REPL.php
index 576359ecc0..0a14b3e422 100644
--- a/php/WP_CLI/REPL.php
+++ b/php/WP_CLI/REPL.php
@@ -80,18 +80,14 @@ private static function create_prompt_cmd( $prompt, $history_path ) {
 		$prompt = escapeshellarg( $prompt );
 		$history_path = escapeshellarg( $history_path );
 
-		$cmd = <<<BASH
-set -f
-history -r $history_path
-LINE=""
-read -re -p $prompt LINE
-[ $? -eq 0 ] || exit
-history -s "\$LINE"
-history -w $history_path
-echo \$LINE
-BASH;
-
-		$cmd = str_replace( "\n", '; ', $cmd );
+		$cmd = "set -f; "
+			. "history -r $history_path; "
+			. "LINE=\"\"; "
+			. "read -re -p $prompt LINE; "
+			. "[ $? -eq 0 ] || exit; "
+			. "history -s \"\$LINE\"; "
+			. "history -w $history_path; "
+			. "echo \$LINE; ";
 
 		return '/bin/bash -c ' . escapeshellarg( $cmd );
 	}
diff --git a/php/commands/shell.php b/php/commands/shell.php
index 0bb052ff57..d0c39bd721 100644
--- a/php/commands/shell.php
+++ b/php/commands/shell.php
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public function __invoke( $_, $assoc_args ) {
 		if ( '\\Psy\\Shell' == $class ) {
 			\Psy\Shell::debug();
 		} else {
-			$repl = new $class( 'wp> ' );
+			$repl = new $class(  "\nwp> " );
 			$repl->start();
 		}
 	}