diff --git a/lisp/subr.el b/lisp/subr.el
index ef2edcff102..ca4d52535a0 100644
--- a/lisp/subr.el
+++ b/lisp/subr.el
@@ -3306,9 +3306,7 @@ while calling this function, then pressing `help-char'
 causes it to evaluate `help-form' and display the result.
 There is no need to explicitly add `help-char' to CHARS;
 `help-char' is bound automatically to `help-form-show'."
-  (defvar empty-history)
-  (let* ((empty-history '())
-         (map (if (consp chars)
+  (let* ((map (if (consp chars)
                   (or (gethash (list help-form (cons help-char chars))
                                read-char-from-minibuffer-map-hash)
                       (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap))
@@ -3335,9 +3333,7 @@ There is no need to explicitly add `help-char' to CHARS;
                 read-char-from-minibuffer-map))
          ;; Protect this-command when called from pre-command-hook (bug#45029)
          (this-command this-command)
-         (result
-          (read-from-minibuffer prompt nil map nil
-                                (or history 'empty-history)))
+         (result (read-from-minibuffer prompt nil map nil (or history t)))
          (char
           (if (> (length result) 0)
               ;; We have a string (with one character), so return the first one.
@@ -3538,9 +3534,7 @@ like) while `y-or-n-p' is running)."
         (discard-input)))
      (t
       (setq prompt (funcall padded prompt))
-      (defvar empty-history)
-      (let* ((empty-history '())
-             (enable-recursive-minibuffers t)
+      (let* ((enable-recursive-minibuffers t)
              (msg help-form)
              (keymap (let ((map (make-composed-keymap
                                  y-or-n-p-map query-replace-map)))
@@ -3557,7 +3551,7 @@ like) while `y-or-n-p' is running)."
              (this-command this-command)
              (str (read-from-minibuffer
                    prompt nil keymap nil
-                   (or y-or-n-p-history-variable 'empty-history))))
+                   (or y-or-n-p-history-variable t))))
         (setq answer (if (member str '("y" "Y")) 'act 'skip)))))
     (let ((ret (eq answer 'act)))
       (unless noninteractive