diff --git a/irc/config.go b/irc/config.go
index 634ac5f5..fd997512 100644
--- a/irc/config.go
+++ b/irc/config.go
@@ -1611,7 +1611,7 @@ func LoadConfig(filename string) (config *Config, err error) {
 	// in the current implementation, we disable history by creating a history buffer
 	// with zero capacity. but the `enabled` config option MUST be respected regardless
 	// of this detail
-	if !config.History.Enabled {
+	if !config.History.Enabled || config.History.ChathistoryMax == 0 {
 		config.History.ChannelLength = 0
 		config.History.ClientLength = 0
 		config.Server.supportedCaps.Disable(caps.Chathistory)
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index d1cf736e..3c763593 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -908,6 +908,9 @@ func (server *Server) applyConfig(config *Config) (err error) {
 	if config.Accounts.RequireSasl.Enabled && config.Accounts.Registration.Enabled {
 		server.logger.Warning("server", "Warning: although require-sasl is enabled, users can still register accounts. If your server is not intended to be public, you must set accounts.registration.enabled to false.")
 	}
+	if config.History.Enabled && config.History.ChathistoryMax == 0 {
+		server.logger.Warning("server", "Warning: for history to work correctly, you must set history.chathistory-maxmessages (see default.yaml for a recommendation).")
+	}
 
 	return err
 }