diff --git a/cli/tools/repl/editor.rs b/cli/tools/repl/editor.rs
index 2ff9ee0b4b..86d4ce4f94 100644
--- a/cli/tools/repl/editor.rs
+++ b/cli/tools/repl/editor.rs
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ pub struct ReplEditor {
   inner: Arc<Mutex<Editor<EditorHelper>>>,
   history_file_path: PathBuf,
   errored_on_history_save: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+  should_exit_on_interrupt: Arc<AtomicBool>,
 }
 
 impl ReplEditor {
@@ -395,6 +396,13 @@ impl ReplEditor {
       KeyEvent(KeyCode::Tab, Modifiers::NONE),
       EventHandler::Conditional(Box::new(TabEventHandler)),
     );
+    let should_exit_on_interrupt = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+    editor.bind_sequence(
+      KeyEvent(KeyCode::Char('r'), Modifiers::CTRL),
+      EventHandler::Conditional(Box::new(ReverseSearchHistoryEventHandler {
+        should_exit_on_interrupt: should_exit_on_interrupt.clone(),
+      })),
+    );
 
     let history_file_dir = history_file_path.parent().unwrap();
     std::fs::create_dir_all(history_file_dir).with_context(|| {
@@ -408,6 +416,7 @@ impl ReplEditor {
       inner: Arc::new(Mutex::new(editor)),
       history_file_path,
       errored_on_history_save: Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false)),
+      should_exit_on_interrupt,
     })
   }
 
@@ -426,6 +435,31 @@ impl ReplEditor {
       eprintln!("Unable to save history file: {}", e);
     }
   }
+
+  pub fn should_exit_on_interrupt(&self) -> bool {
+    self.should_exit_on_interrupt.load(Relaxed)
+  }
+
+  pub fn set_should_exit_on_interrupt(&self, yes: bool) {
+    self.should_exit_on_interrupt.store(yes, Relaxed);
+  }
+}
+
+/// Command to reverse search history , same as rustyline default C-R but that resets repl should_exit flag to false
+struct ReverseSearchHistoryEventHandler {
+  should_exit_on_interrupt: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+}
+impl ConditionalEventHandler for ReverseSearchHistoryEventHandler {
+  fn handle(
+    &self,
+    _: &Event,
+    _: RepeatCount,
+    _: bool,
+    _: &EventContext,
+  ) -> Option<Cmd> {
+    self.should_exit_on_interrupt.store(false, Relaxed);
+    Some(Cmd::ReverseSearchHistory)
+  }
 }
 
 /// A custom tab key event handler
diff --git a/cli/tools/repl/mod.rs b/cli/tools/repl/mod.rs
index 8fcae505ee..b594055805 100644
--- a/cli/tools/repl/mod.rs
+++ b/cli/tools/repl/mod.rs
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ pub async fn run(flags: Flags, repl_flags: ReplFlags) -> Result<i32, AnyError> {
   let worker = worker.into_main_worker();
   let mut repl_session = ReplSession::initialize(ps.clone(), worker).await?;
   let mut rustyline_channel = rustyline_channel();
-  let mut should_exit_on_interrupt = false;
 
   let helper = EditorHelper {
     context_id: repl_session.context_id,
@@ -154,7 +153,7 @@ pub async fn run(flags: Flags, repl_flags: ReplFlags) -> Result<i32, AnyError> {
     .await;
     match line {
       Ok(line) => {
-        should_exit_on_interrupt = false;
+        editor.set_should_exit_on_interrupt(false);
         editor.update_history(line.clone());
         let output = repl_session.evaluate_line_and_get_output(&line).await;
 
@@ -167,10 +166,10 @@ pub async fn run(flags: Flags, repl_flags: ReplFlags) -> Result<i32, AnyError> {
         println!("{}", output);
       }
       Err(ReadlineError::Interrupted) => {
-        if should_exit_on_interrupt {
+        if editor.should_exit_on_interrupt() {
           break;
         }
-        should_exit_on_interrupt = true;
+        editor.set_should_exit_on_interrupt(true);
         println!("press ctrl+c again to exit");
         continue;
       }